AD&D - PHBR4 - The Complete Wizard's Handbook (text) (2e)

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®

2nd Edition Player's Handbook Rules Supplement

The Complete Wizard's Handbook

CREDITS
Design: Rick Swan
Editing: Anne Brown
Black and White Art: Terry Dykstra, Valerie Valusek
Color Art: Clyde Caldwell, David Dorman, Larry Elmore
Typography: Gaye O'Keefe
Graphic Design: Paul Hanchette

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©1990 TSR, Inc. All rights reserved.
Printed in the U. S. A. October 1994

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ISBN 0-88038-838-2 2115XXX1501

Introduction

Chapter 1: Schools of Magic
To Specialize or Not to Specialize?

Ability Scores
1st-Level Bonus Spell
Personality and Background of the PC
Access to Mentors
Party Composition
Player Preference
Chance to Learn Spells

Short Adventure vs. Long Campaign
About the Schools

Abjuration
Alteration
Conjuration/Summoning
Enchantment/Charm
Greater Divination
Illusion
Invocation/Evocation
Necromancy
Abandoning a School
Mages
Specialists
A Word About Minor Schools
Lesser Divination
New Minor Schools

Chapter 2: Creating New Schools
The Basics of Creating Schools
Type of Magic

Priests vs. Wizards
Categories of Effects
Defining the Effects of a New School
How It All Works
Name of the School
Name of the Specialist
Spells
Basic Spells
Adapting Existing Spells
Ideas for New Spells
Checking for Duplication
Checking for Play Balance
Determining Effects and Levels
Casting Times
Components
Allowed Races
Ability Requirements
Clothing
Experience Levels and SpellProgression
Hit Points
Languages
Oppositional Schools
Ethos

Chapter 3: Wizard Kits

Kits and Character Creation
Kits and Schools of Magic
DM& Choices
The Wizard Kits

A Note About Reaction Adjustments
The Kits

Academician
Amazon Sorceress
Anagakok
Militant Wizard
Mystic
Patrician
Peasant Wizard
Savage Wizard
Witch
Wu Jen
Recording Kits on the Character Sheet
Modifying the Kits
Creating New Kits
Wizard Kit Creation Sheet
Suggestions for New Kits

Chapter 4: Role-Playing
Wizard Personalities

The Altruist
The Brooder
The Commander
The Counselor
The Intimidator
The Mercenary
The Mystery Man
The Neophyte
The Obsessive
The Showman
Changing Personality Types
Ideas for New Personality Types
Character Background
Wizardly Careers
Teacher
Administrator
Advisor
Trader
Physician
Treasure Hunter
Entertainer

Lecturer
Author
Fortune Teller
Alchemist
Wizard Adventures
The Novice Wizard
The Outcast Wizard
Magic's Good Name
Assisting the Citizenry
The Scholarly Quest
Out of Retirement
Magic in the Campaign World
Worlds With Excessive Amounts of Magic
Worlds With Typical Amounts of Magic
Worlds With Low Amounts of Magic
Worlds With No Magic
Campaign Variations
The All-Wizard Campaign
The Single Wizard Kit Campaign
The Restricted School Campaign
The Restricted Level Campaign

Chapter 5: Combat and the Wizard
The Spell Arsenal

The Wizard's Advantages
Spell Categories

Defensive Spells
Offensive Spells
Reconnaissance Spells
Special Spells
A Mix of Spells
Weapon Restriction

Chapter 6: Casting Spells in Unusual Conditions
Casting Spells Underwater

Spells That Are Ineffective Underwater
Spells That Are Modified When Cast Underwater
Casting Spells in Other Planes
The Ethereal Planes
The Inner Planes
The Astral Plane
The Outer Planes
Casting Spells When the Caster is Impaired
Impaired Vision
Impaired Hearing

Impaired Speech
Impaired Movement
Impaired Concentration

Chapter 7: Advanced Procedures
Levels Above 20th

Spells Above 9th-Level
Spell Commentary

1st Level
2nd Level
3rd Level
4th Level
5th Level
7th Level
8th Level
9th Level
More About Adjudicating Illusions
Complexity/Non-Living Objects
Complexity/Living Objects
Magical Effects and Special Attacks
Flaws
Revealed Illusions
Intelligence
The Illusion-Casting Subject
Summary of Modifiers
Spell Research
Defining A New Spell
Spell Components
Cost of Research
The Wizard's Library
Initial Preparation
Research Time and Chance of Success
Example of Research
Researching Existing Spells
Limiting the Success Chance
More About Magical Item Research

Chapter 8: New Spells
Spell Descriptions
Spell Components

Material Components
Verbal and Somatic Components
First-Level Spells
Second-Level Spells
Third-Level Spells

Fourth-Level Spells
Fifth-Level Spells
Sixth-Level Spells
Seventh-Level Spell
Eighth-Level Spells

Chapter 9: Wizardly Lists
Twenty-five Helpful Familiars
Five Unusual Sources for Spells
Nine Magical Items That Have Not Yet Been Invented
Five Debilitating Afflictions
Nine Principles of Conduct for Academy Graduates
Six Common Alchemical Processes
Eleven Useful Additions to a Wizard'sLaboratory
Four Prerequisites for Admission to anAcademy of Magic
Nineteen Courses in a TypicalAcademy Curriculum
Nine Organizations for Wizards
400 Fantastic Materials
Five Incredible Locations
Twelve New Magical Items

Tables
Table 1: Minimum Spells for a New School
Table 2: Suggested Maximum Damage of Spells By Level
Table 3: Random Determination of Spell Components
Table 4: Magic Schools and Types ofEffects
Table 5: Ability Check Bonuses for Academicians
Table 6: Oppositional Schools for Militant Wizards
Table 7: Savage Wizard Omen Results
Table 8: Effects of Witch's Curse
Table 9: Selected Oriental Weapons for the Wu Jen
Table 10: Chance of Random Effects of Alteration Spells in Outer Planes
Table 11: Random Effects of Altered Shapes in the Outer Planes
Table 12: Wizard Experience Levels Beyond 20th
Table 13: Wizard Spell Progression Beyond 20th Level
Table 14: Summary of Possible Modifiers for Saving Throws vs. Illusions
Table 15: Library Values Necessary for Spell Research
Table 16: Chromatic Orb Effects
Table 17: Summoned Familiars
Table 18: Conjuritis Results
Table 19: Random Generation of Fantastic Materials
Table 20: Results from the Garden of Jertulth

Maps and Play Aids
School Creation Sheet

Wizard Kit Creation Sheet
Figure 1: Oppositional Schools
Map 1: The Island of Ghothar
Map 2: The Sphere of B'naa

Introduction

No concept is more fundamental to the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® 2nd
Edition game than magic. And no character class better personifies the art of magic than its
primary practitioner, the wizard. No class is more challenging, few are as elegant, and in the
hands of a creative player, none is as fascinating. The AD&D® 2nd Edition Player's
Handbook and DUNGEON MASTER® Guide explained all of the basic information
necessary for playing wizard characters. In this book, we'll expand on that information, adding
more details and options and offering a few new variations. For instance, we'll be taking a close
look at all the schools of magic, examining their advantages and disadvantages, their
requirements and benefits, and the types of characters that are best suited for particular
specializations. Since the schools of magic aren't limited to those presented in the Player's
Handbook, we'll show you how to create your own schools from scratch.

We'll discuss ways to personalize your wizard characters and describe entire campaigns
centered on wizardly concerns. If you've been bemoaning the lack of spells for certain
specialists, such as diviners and necromancers, worry no more -- we've added plenty of new
spells just for them.

For the Dungeon Master, we'll offer some tips to help fine-tune his skills as a referee,
covering such topics as the adjudication of illusions and how to establish guidelines for magical
research. We'll explain how spells are cast underwater and in other planes of existence. And for
players and DMs alike, we'll take a close look at combat and how it relates to wizards.

Think of this book as a smorgasbord of ideas. Everything here is optional. Pick and choose
whatever's most appealing, make changes to suit your campaign, and experiment with variations
of your own design. It's your game and your world -- we're here to help you make it as
entertaining as it can be.

Throughout this book, we've used male pronouns as a matter of convenience. This is not
intended to exclude females -- in all cases, read "his" as "his or her," and "he" as "he or she. "
For those of you using The Complete Wizard in conjunction with the original AD&D game
instead of the AD&D 2nd Edition game, this supplement mentions many page numbers from the
Player's Handbook and the DUNGEON MASTER Guide. The page numbers cited refer to
the AD&D 2nd Edition books. Those players using the old books will have to ignore these page
references, but in most cases, you can find the relevant material by consulting the indexes or
contents pages of the original books.

Chapter 1: Schools of Magic

In this chapter, we'll take a close look at the various schools of magic, analyzing their
strengths and weaknesses, examining their spells, and sizing up their specialists. We'll also look
at the minor schools and explore the implications of abandoning a school. The schools of magic
add many interesting possibilities to a campaign. But not every wizard is destined to be a
specialist, and not every player wants to play a specialist character. So let's begin with a basic
question

To Specialize or Not to Specialize?

The most crucial decision a beginning wizard must make is whether to specialize in a school
of magic or instead opt for the life of a mage. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. For
instance, the mage has a chance to learn any new spell he encounters, but the specialist's
opportunities are more limited -- he cannot learn spells from schools that are in opposition to his
own. The specialist has stricter racial and ability requirements than the mage, but he also has
better saving throw bonuses.

The choice to specialize can have profound effects on a wizard's role in the game, and
players should think carefully before committing their characters to a school of magic. Following
are a few points to consider.

Ability Scores

A wizard must meet certain ability requirements to become a specialist. For instance, a
wizard with a Dexterity of 15 can't become an illusionist. But even if low ability scores haven't
eliminated all of the specialization choices, the player should still look at his character's
Intelligence score and see how it affects his chance of learning spells. An Intelligence of 9 means
that the character will have a 50 percent chance to learn spells of his speciality based on the
normal 35 percent chance to learn a new spell for an Intelligence of 9 (Table 4 on page 16 of
the Player's Handbook ) plus a 15 percent bonus for being a specialist.

An Intelligence of 17 means that the character will have a 90 percent chance to learn spells
of his specialty (the normal 75 percent chance for an Intelligence of 17 plus a 15 percent bonus
for being a specialist). Notice that the 15 percent bonus helps the character with the lower
Intelligence more than it does the character with the higher Intelligence; the bonus boosts the
Intelligence 9 character's chance from 35 to 50, an increase of more than 40 percent, while the
Intelligence 17 character's chance is increased from 75 to 90, which is a boost of only 20
percent.

Clearly, the lower the Intelligence of a wizard, the more specialization helps to increase his
chance of learning spells. This is somewhat offset by the specialist's limitations to which spells he
can learn (he can't learn spells from oppositional schools), but over the course of a campaign, a
low Intelligence wizard stands a good chance of learning more spells by specializing

1st-Level Bonus Spell

A 1st-level specialist begins with two spells, but a 1st-level mage begins with only one. This
difference is inconsequential over the course of a long campaign, but it can be significant if

playing a short adventure with low-level characters

Personality and Background of the Player Character

Some aspect of the player character's personality might suggest whether he's best suited for
the life of a mage or that of a specialist. An impulsive, overeager character might lack the
patience for the studious life of a specialist. Conversely, a thoughtful, scholarly character might
find the life of a mage too confining. A character who comes from a long line of mages might
want to continue the family tradition. A character whose brother was killed by an evil specialist
NPC might want to study the same school to prepare himself for a confrontation with the
murderer

Access to Mentors

Does the wizard character have easy access to a mentor of his preferred school? Is the
mentor in ill health, is his city under siege, or is his future otherwise in question? Although there
are ways to learn spells without a mentor (or magic academy), the wizard may want to think
carefully before committing to a specialization if he can't depend on the availability of his mentor
(or academy) for consultation and further training.

Party Composition

If the character's party already includes one or more mages, the wizard might choose a
specialization to give the party a wider variety of character types. If the party is small, it might be
less risky to become a mage so that the character has access to spells of all the schools. Are
there other player-character wizards with spell books they'd be willing to share? Would a
specialist or a mage have a better chance of learning those spells? (If one PC wizard is a
conjurer, his spell book probably won't be useful to a PC wizard who wants to be a diviner.)

Player Preference

A player might want to run a wizard of a particular specialty just because he's never tried it
before, and that's as good a reason as any to choose a specialist over a mage

Chance to Learn Spells

Consider the opportunities that mages and specialists have to learn new spells, perhaps the
most compelling difference between them. As illustration, compare a mage with an Intelligence
of 9 and an illusionist with an Intelligence of 9. The mage has a 35 percent chance of learning
each new spell he encounters, regardless of its school. The illusionist has a 50 percent chance of
learning illusionist spells, a 20 percent chance of learning alteration, divination,
enchantment/charm, and conjuration/summoning spells (this percentage reflects the 15 percent
penalty for learning spells from other schools). The illusionist has no chance of learning spells
from the schools of invocation/evocation, abjuration, or necromancy, since these schools are in
opposition to the school of illusion.

Assume that in a typical adventure, the mage and the illusionist each have the opportunity to
learn 16 new spells from discovered spell books, NPC wizards, and other sources. Also
assume that of these 16 spells, two are from each of the eight schools. The mage has a 35
percent chance of learning each of these spells, meaning that he is likely to learn five or six of
them. The illusionist is denied the chance to learn six of them (from the oppositional schools); he
has a 50 percent chance of learning two of them (meaning he is likely to learn one of the two),
and a 20 percent chance of learning eight of them (meaning he is likely to learn two spells). In
this example, the mage learns six spells, while the illusionist learns only three.

It doesn't improve for specialists with higher Intelligence scores; at Intelligence 16, for
instance, a mage will learn about 12 of the 16 spells, while the illusionist will learn approximately
eight of them.

Of course, the specialist receives a bonus spell when he advances a level, and the differences
are less severe for certain specialties (diviners, for instance, are denied access to only one
school). But over the course of a typical campaign, a mage will likely learn far more spells than a
specialist

Short Adventure vs. Long Campaign

Since there is no meaningful difference between a mage and a specialist in their abilities to
cast the spells they know, wouldn't the wise player always choose to play a mage? Not
necessarily. In the long run, the specialist's experience bonus, saving throw bonuses, and
acquired powers (see the listings in the school descriptions below) make him a far more
formidable opponent than the mage. Additionally, the limits on the number of spells a wizard can
use and know mean that the specialist will eventually catch up to the mage in these areas.

One guideline for deciding between a mage and a specialist might be to consider a mage if
playing a short adventure. But for a lengthy campaign, a specialist is probably the best bet; not
only will he prove to be a more effective party member, but a character with focused goals and
aptitudes will be more interesting to play

About the Schools

Following are details about specialists for each school of magic. Each includes the following
information:

Description: This section explains the general effects created by spells from the school,
along with how the magical energy is channelled.

Specialist Name: The common name for a specialist of this school.
Allowed Races: Only humans, gnomes, elves, and half-elves can be specialists, and not all
races are able to specialize in every school. This entry indicates which races are eligible to
specialize in a particular school.
Ability Requirements: Though all schools require a minimum Intelligence of 9, each has an
additional minimum requirement in another ability and is listed here.
Saving Throw Modifiers: Because of their familiarity with the arcane arts, specialists are
able to resist the effects of certain forms of magic. Additionally, their opponents are less able to
resist certain spells cast by specialists rather than non-specialists. These are listed here.
Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: These are the special abilities and extra spells that

specialists automatically receive when they reach high levels. (The use of acquired powers is an
option only; at the DM's discretion, he can eliminate them from his campaign, or even develop
others for high-level specialists. )

Oppositional Schools: The specialist is unable to learn spells from these schools. He is also
forbidden to use magical items that duplicate the effects of schools in opposition to his own
school.

Spell Analysis: This section discusses the spells available to the school, including their
general types and their overall usefulness to the wizard. For convenience, spells are divided into
three categories: Low (1st-3rd level), Medium (4th-6th level), and High (7th-9th level). The
most versatile and powerful spells are designated as the "Most Desirable" for each of these
categories.

Ethos: This section details the wizard's relationship to society, his goals and values, his
overall philosophy, how he spends his time, and his likely role in an adventuring party. Since
certain types of people tend to veer toward the same fields of study, some personality
descriptions common to specialists of the school are also included.

Note that these are general guidelines only, and any number of exceptions are possible, but
they can be used to help the player shape his character's personality or help him decide which
school seems most appropriate for the character he has in mind

Abjuration

Description: Spells of this school focus magical energies to provide protection. This
protection can take a number of forms, including warding off specific types of weapons or
creatures and discouraging or dispelling enemies. The school also includes a variety of spells
involving avoidance and repellence. Abjuration spells concentrate on eliminating or hindering
sources of potential harm rather than repairing damage.

Specialist Name: Abjurer.
Allowed Races: Only humans can be abjurers. It's speculated that the natural magical
resistance of elves, half-elves, and gnomes prevents them from mastering abjuration spells.
Ability Requirements: A wizard must have strong intuition and exceptional willpower to
master abjuration spells as reflected in a high Wisdom score. Specialists in this school must have
a minimum Wisdom of 15.
Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting
to save against an abjuration spell cast by an abjurer. An abjurer adds a +1 bonus when saving
against abjuration spells.
Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An abjurer can memorize an extra spell at each spell
level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of abjuration; thus, a
1st-level abjurer can memorize two spells. When an abjurer reaches 17th level, he acquires
immunity to all forms of hold spells and adds a +1 bonus when saving against poison,
paralyzation, and death magic. When an abjurer reaches 20th level, his mastery of magical
protective forces has become so powerful that his Armor Class is raised from 10 to 9. He is still
forbidden to wear armor.
Oppositional Schools: An abjurer cannot learn spells from the schools of alteration and
illusion.
Spell Analysis: The abjurer has a limited number of spells from which to choose,

particularly in the lower levels. This lack of options makes low-level abjurers among the
weakest of beginning wizards. To compensate, he should acquire a few low-level spells from
other available schools as early in his career as possible. Offensive spells-- that is, spells that
inflict damage-- from the school of alteration are especially good choices, such as burning
hands, shocking grasp, strength, and Melf's minute meteors. As he reaches higher levels of
ability and is able to take advantage of the more powerful abjuration spells available to him, an
abjurer should become less dependent on spells from other schools.

There are three general types of abjuration spells: protective, dispelling, and dismissal.
Protective spells include those that offer protection from creatures (such as protection from
evil), those that protect against weapons (such as protection from normal missiles), and those
that protect against certain types of magic (such as minor globe of invulnerability). Dispelling
spells cause the elimination of specific magical effects, such as dispel magic and remove curse.
Dismissal spells cause the removal of certain creatures, such as dismissal and banishment.

Since the most effective abjurations are those offering the greatest protection, it seems that
the dismissal spells are the most desirable-- after all, they get rid of the attacker altogether.
However, dismissal spells are effective only against very specific types of attackers, such as
banishment 's dismissal of extraplanar creatures. Unless the wizard anticipates encountering the
type of creature affected, a dismissal spell won't be helpful. Since protection spells usually
affect only a single individual, the best all-purpose abjurations are the dispelling spells; dispel
magic for instance, employed against a magic-wielding enemy protects not only the caster, but
the entire party.

The abjurer is at a disadvantage when attacking. There are very few abjuration spells that
inflict damage either directly or indirectly. But in terms of defensive capabilities, the abjurer is
second to none. When a party is exploring potentially dangerous territory, the abjurer makes an
ideal point man, placing him in an excellent position to create defenses against attackers. The
abjurer, like all wizards, has a poor Armor Class, making him extremely vulnerable to damage.
A comrade with a lot of hit points and a low AC should accompany the abjurer near the front of
the party, ready to intercept attacks and act as the abjurer's bodyguard.

Abjurers also operate well in conjunction with other wizards. While the abjurer casts magical
defenses, a fellow wizard can concentrate on creating magical offenses. When traveling,
abjurers make good guards for helpless NPCs, such as small children and elderly citizens. Does
the party have a treasure map, a valuable gem, or other prized possession? With his repertoire
of protective spells, the abjurer may be the best person to carry them.

Most Desirable Spells: Low-Level: Dispel magic is not only the best of the low-level
abjuration spells, it should be a part of any wizard's arsenal (excluding, of course, those
specialists to whom abjuration is forbidden). Dispel magic can effectively disarm many
opponents, and it can also negate harmful or potentially harmful magical devices. Abjurers
would do well to acquire this spell early in their careers. Protection from evil is another useful
spell, considering how often a typical party encounters evil creatures and evil NPCs. Of the two
3rd-level protection spells, an abjurer will likely find protection from evil, 10' radius to be
more helpful than protection from normal missiles, since he will probably have more
opportunities to use the former than the latter. Note that protection from normal missiles can
be extremely helpful when traveling through primitive areas where the inhabitants are more likely
to use rocks and spears than swords and maces.

Medium-Level: Fire trap not only offers superb protection, it's one of the few abjuration

spells capable of inflicting damage. Avoidance has the twin advantages of being reversible and
permanent. Anti-magic shell is generally preferable to globe of invulnerability; not only does
it last longer, it's stronger and takes less time to cast.

High-Level: Spell turning and Serten's spell immunity are extremely powerful spells that
should be useful in any hostile environment. In most situations, prismatic sphere is the best
high-level abjuration spell; it not only provides a variety of defenses, it is also capable of blinding
most opponents and inflicting a sizeable amount of damage.

Ethos: Concerned with protection, abjurists have a deep reverence for life and are attracted
to philosophies stressing compassion and selflessness. Accordingly, most abjurers are of good
alignment. Evil-aligned abjurers are often toadies of an intimidating evil warrior or in the service
of a more powerful wizard of another school. Abjurers tend to be thoughtful, orderly, gentle-
natured, and soft-spoken, going out of their way not to attract attention.

Of all the wizards, abjurers seem to have the strongest family ties. Abjurers take comfort in
the security of marriage and often choose their mates at an early age; many abjurers have ten or
more offspring. Owing to their mastery of protective forces, abjurers tend to live to a ripe old
age; it's not unusual to find abjurers well into their eighties in adventuring parties.

Abjurers make their homes anywhere, but prefer small villages to large cities. Because of
their kind hearts and generous spirits, abjurers are held in high esteem by society in general.
Abjurers commonly earn a living as guides, bodyguards, merchants, and teachers

Alteration

Description: Spells of this school enable the caster to channel magical energies to cause
direct and specific change in an existing object, creature, or condition. Alterations can affect a
subject's form (polymorph other), weight (feather fall), abilities (strength), location (teleport
without error), or even his physical well-being (death fog).

Specialist Name: Transmuter.
Allowed Races: Only a caster with human blood can channel the magical energies
necessary for alteration spells. Hence, only humans and half-elves can become transmuters.
Ability Requirements: Because alteration spells have somewhat more complex somatic
components than spells from other schools, a wizard needs a Dexterity score of at least 15 to
become a transmuter.
Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting
to save against an alteration spell cast by a transmuter. A transmuter adds a +1 bonus when
saving against alteration spells cast by others.
Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A transmuter can memorize an extra spell at each
spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of alteration.
When a transmuter reaches 17th level, he receives one extra non- weapon wizard proficiency of
his choice; this is in addition to the number of non-weapon proficiencies he is normally allowed.
When he reaches 20th level, he receives another extra non-weapon wizard proficiency. If the
wizard already has all of the non-weapon wizard proficiencies available to him when he reaches
level 17 (or level 20), he may take a general non-weapon proficiency instead.
Oppositional Schools: A transmuter can't learn spells from the schools of abjuration and
necromancy.
Spell Analysis: No school has a wider variety of spells than the school of alteration, making

the transmuter the most versatile of all the specialists. The available spells can be assigned to six
general groups:

1. Defensive Spells. This group of protective spells offers defensive capabilities rivaling those
of the abjuration school. This group includes spells that limit an opponent's ability to attack, such
as fog cloud, solid fog, slow, and darkness, 15' radius, and also spells that provide direct
protection to the caster and his party, such as stoneskin and Leomund's tiny hut.

2. Offensive Spells. This group includes spells such as strength and haste which increase the
party's chance to inflict damage, and spells such as Melf's minute meteors and death fog
which inflict damage directly.

3. Mobility Spells. This group includes fly, blink, passwall, and teleport and other spells
that improve the caster's ability to move from place to place.

4. Security Spells. This group enables the caster to protect objects and places, and includes
spells such as wizard lock, guards and wards, and Leomund's secret chest.

5. Talent Spells. This group gives the caster (or a person of the caster's choice) a temporary
talent, usually one that duplicates a special ability of another creature or race. Such spells
include infravision, water breathing, and tongues.

6. Special Spells. This group encompasses a wide range of spells that don't fit into into any of
the previous categories, such as magic mouth, mending, message, and fool's gold. Because
of the variety of spells available, a transmuter can assume a number of different roles in an
adventuring party. For instance, a transmuter who knows a number of offensive spells can battle
effectively alongside a party's warriors. A transmuter who knows a few mobility spells in
addition to some offensive spells makes an especially impressive combatant (imagine a flying
transmuter soaring to the top of a tree, then casting Melf's minute meteors at an unsuspecting
enemy). With a supply of defensive spells, a transmuter can assume many of the functions of an
abjurer. A transmuter with spider climb, deeppockets, and knock is a good substitution for a
thief; add polymorph self and passwall, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better spy. The
transmuter always runs the risk of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of available spells
and making haphazard or ill-informed decisions about which spells he learns and memorizes.
Therefore, he must take care to balance his spell choices with the needs of his party.

Most Desirable Spells:
Low-Level: Of the 1st-level spells, burning hands is a nice choice for an offensive spell
since it has a longer range than shocking grasp and does more damage at higher levels.
Chromatic orb is a better choice yet. With its reversible option, enlarge gives the transmuter a
wealth of options and is particularly useful in combat since it affects damage rolls. Fog cloud
and pyrotechnics both have two different forms, essentially giving the transmuter two spells for
the price of one. Fly expands the transmuter's strategic options and is perhaps the best all-
around low-level alteration spell. Both slow and haste can influence melee combat dramatically,
since a number of subjects are affected at the same time.
Medium-Level: Polymorph self and polymorph other can disguise friendly characters,
intimidate enemies, and in the case of polymorph other, greatly enhance the party's chance of
combat success, since the subject's Armor Class and attack routines can be improved by the
spell. Death fog and disintegrate are powerful offensive spells, and teleport is a first-rate
mobility spell. Of the medium-level spells, there are none better than Tenser's transformation,
assuming the transmuter has a dagger or staff at hand to take advantage of his increased attack
effectiveness, and Mordenkainen's lucubration, which gives the transmuter access to any 1st-

level through 5th-level spell used in the previous 24 hours.
High-Level: Incendiary cloud is a terrific offensive spell, and shape change and time stop

are both helpful in a variety of situations. The most useful high- level spell is probably
polymorph any object, since it can duplicate the effects of many other spells, including
polymorph other, transmute rock to mud, and stone to flesh.

Ethos: Wizards drawn to the specialty of alteration are typically curious, sharp-minded, and
deeply analytical. Fascinated by putting things together and taking them apart again, they are
natural tinkerers, more interested in objects than in people.

Transmuters generally aren't prone to profound philosophic insights, as their minds are more
attuned to how things work than how a society functions. To a transmuter, a person is
essentially a complicated, difficult-to-understand machine. They are obsessive collectors,
excellent scholars, and clear thinkers. According to a transmuter, the only constant in the
universe is change; concepts of good and evil are relative, dependent on existing conditions, and
seldom permanent. Forces of good and evil are constantly at work on neutrality, but since good
causes less disruption than evil, good is preferable. Consequently, many transmuters are of
good alignments.

Eager to explore the world around them, transmuters are willing members of adventuring
parties. They are loyal followers but reluctant leaders, since they have trouble making decisions
based on instinct alone. Although loyal to their friends, they seldom establish close relationships.
Married transmuters are few.

Transmuters are most comfortable in large cities where they have access to a variety of
supplies, consultants, and other resources for their studies. Most societies welcome transmuters,
generally considering them to be emotionally distant but harmless eccentrics. Transmuters
commonly earn their livings as teachers, advisors, inventors, and manufacturers of medicines,
potions, and other preparations

Conjuration/Summoning

Description: This school includes two different types of magic, though both involve bringing
in matter from another place. Conjuration spells produce various forms of non-living matter.
Summoning spells entice or compel creatures to come to the caster, as well as allowing the
caster to channel forces from other planes. Since the casting techniques and ability requirements
are the same for both types of magic, conjuration and summoning are considered two parts of
the same school.

Specialist Name: Conjurer. A specialist who has learned only summoning spells sometimes
calls himself a summoner, but this is merely a matter of semantics and has no bearing on the
specialist's abilities, restrictions, or effectiveness.

Allowed Races: A wizard must have human blood to be a conjurer. Therefore, humans and
half-elves can specialize in this school, but elves cannnot.

Ability Requirements: A wizard must have exceptional stamina to spend a lifetime casting
conjuration and summoning spells, since he is at times tapping into his own life force in order to
create conjured matter or lure summoned creatures. Therefore, a wizard must have a
Constitution score of at least 15 to specialize in this school.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting
to save against a conjuration or summoning spell cast by a conjurer. A conjurer adds a +1

bonus when saving against conjuration spells or attacks from creatures or forces created by
summoning spells.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A conjurer can memorize an extra spell at each spell
level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of
conjuration/summoning. When a conjurer reaches 17th level, he no longer requires any material
components to cast conjuration and summoning spells. When a conjurer reaches 20th level, he
gains the ability to instantly dispel creatures conjured by an opponent who has used a monster
summoning spell or its equivalent. The conjurer can dispel up to 10 Hit Dice worth of creatures
with this ability; only creatures with 5 HD or fewer are affected (therefore, the conjurer could
dispel two 5 HD creatures or ten 1 HD creatures, but not a 6 HD creature). The conjurer can
use this ability up to three times per day by pointing at the creatures to be affected and
concentrating.

Oppositional Schools: A conjurer cannot learn spells from the schools of greater divination
and invocation/evocation.

Spell Analysis: Although the conjurer doesn't have an excessive number of specialty spells
from which to choose, spells of the conjuration/summoning school are among the most potent of
all, comparable only to the school of necromancy in sheer power.

Though useful in a wide variety of situations, conjuration/summoning spells are particularly
effective in combat, since the majority of them are capable of inflicting damage.

Generally, conjuration spells such as Melf's acid arrow inflict damage directly, while
summoning spells, such as monster summoning, use an intermediary force or monster to attack
opponents. Direct attacks have the advantage of immediacy; Melf's acid arrow, for instance, is
sent directly at its target. Indirect attacks using an intermediary have the advantage of versatility;
giant rats summoned by monster summoning I can be directed to attack the stationary
Opponent No. 1, then can be ordered to run down the fleeing Opponent No. 2.

Many summoning attacks require the continual participation of the conjurer; he can't control
his summoned creatures if he can't communicate with them. This is especially crucial with spells
such as conjure elemental, where the summoned creature will turn on the conjurer if the
conjurer breaks his concentration.

Conjurers who learn a large number of spells to summon creatures are better in large parties;
the more companions he has, the more protection he has available if a need arises for his
comrades to run interference, helping to ensure that his concentration remains unbroken. When
traveling, such conjurers should remain in the center of the party, traditionally the safest spot. As
members of smaller parties, conjurers are more effective knowing a variety of
conjuration/summoning spells, particularly those that inflict damage directly; a conjurer with only
one or two companions may find it difficult-- and dangerous-- to cast conjure elemental.

Most Desirable Spells:
Low-Level: Melf's acid arrow, summon swarm, and flame arrow are excellent offensive
spells, but monster summoning I is the prize -- a clever conjurer should find numerous uses
for, say, eight giant rats.
Medium-Level: The monster summoning spells are the best. Conjure elemental,
Mordenkainen's faithful hound, and summon shadow can turn the tide in just about any
battle with low or medium level opponents.
High-Level: This group includes what most wizards consider to be the most prized spell of
any school, wish. Limited wish is nearly as potent.

Because DMs vary widely in how they handle wishes, players with conjurer characters might
want to discuss with their DM his parameters for adjudicating these types of spells. (See the
Spell Commentary section in Chapter 7 for more about wishes.) In addition to wishes, high-
level conjuration/summoning spells offer the conjurer some extremely powerful offensive spells.
The all-around best in combat are power word, kill; prismatic sphere; and the monster
summoning spells.

Ethos: Because of the great power they wield, most conjurers are utterly convinced that
their specialty is superior to all others. Illusion and divination are trivial, alteration and invocation
are inconsequential, abjuration and enchantment are too weak, and necromancy is too repulsive.
Though tending toward smugness and arrogance, conjurers are also confident, courageous, and
bright.

Conjurers tend to rely on summoned creatures to perform difficult tasks for them; hence,
many conjurers grow flabby as the years pass. Many consider conjurers to be downright lazy.

Conjurers recognize the importance of keeping evil in check, and most are of good
alignment. Evil conjurers flourish, however, particularly those who maintain contact with evil
entities summoned from other planes of existence.

Conjurers speak their minds freely and have little patience for the opinions of those they
consider to be inferior; it takes a leader of proven worth and unyielding strength to earn the
respect of a conjurer. In an adventuring party, conjurers tend to prefer action to discussion, and
attacking to negotiating. Conjurers relish every opportunity for combat in order to demonstrate
their power.

Since conjurers have little interest in associating with common people, they prefer to live in
isolated areas of the countryside. Most consider children a nuisance, so even the few conjurers
who marry typically remain childless by choice.

Aside from magical research, conjurers shun all activities that would normally constitute a
career or occupation. When funds are low, conjurers can always summon creatures to fetch
treasure for them

Enchantment/Charm

Description: Similar to the school of conjuration/summoning, this school encompasses two
general types of spells. Both types imbue their subjects with magical energy to create specific
effects. Charm spells induce changes or influence the behavior of creatures, usually altering their
subject's mental or emotional states. Enchantment spells invest non-living objects with magical
powers. Neither charm nor enchantment spells have any effect on their subject's physical
form.

Specialist Name: Enchanter.
Allowed Races: Humans, half-elves, and elves can all become enchanters.
Ability Requirements: Since influencing the will of others is in part a manifestation of the
caster's personal charm, a wizard must have a Charisma of at least 16 to specialize as an
enchanter.
Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting
to save against an enchantment/charm spell cast by an enchanter. An enchanter adds a +1
bonus when saving against enchantment/charm spells.
Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An enchanter can memorize an extra spell at each

spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of
enchantment/charm. When an enchanter reaches 17th level, he acquires immunity to all forms of
charm spells. When an enchanter reaches 20th level, he gains the ability to cast a special free
action spell once per day. The enchanter can cast this spell on himself or any creature he
touches. No material components are required for this spell and the casting time is 1; the
enchanter merely touches the subject to be affected and concentrates. When enchanted with
free action, the subject is able to move and attack normally for one hour, even under the
influence of a spell that impedes movement such as web or slow. The spell negates the effects of
hold spells. Underwater, the subject moves at normal surface speed and inflicts full damage with
weapons, provided that the weapon is wielded and not hurled.

Oppositional Schools: An enchanter cannot learn spells from the schools of
invocation/evocation and necromancy.

Spell Analysis: The enchanter has a moderate number of spells from which to choose, most
of them emphasizing defensive rather than offensive effects. Not only can this school of spells be
divided into charms and enchantments, the spells can also be divided into those that affect only a
single person or object, and those capable of affecting a group.

Generally, the group-affecting spells are more useful to the enchanter, but he must consider
their ranges and durations when deciding which spells to learn and memorize. For instance, both
ray of enfeeblement and Tasha's uncontrollable hideous laughter are 2nd-level
enchantment/charm spells that inflict penalties on the attack and damage rolls of opponents.
Ray of enfeeblement affects only one creature, while Tasha's laughter affects all those within a
30-foot cube. But note that even though Tasha's laughter inflicts a higher damage penalty, it
lasts only a single round (although the effects essentially carry over into the next round). Ray of
enfeeblement lasts 1 round/level; when cast at higher levels, this spell can be extremely
debilitating. And though the 60-yard range of Tasha's laughter makes the range of ray of
enfeeblement look dismal by comparison (10 yards + 5 yards/level), note that at higher levels,
the range of ray of enfeeblement increases dramatically, while the range of Tasha's laughter
stays the same.

The shortcoming of the enchantment/charm catalog is the lack of offensive spells. Only a
handful of them are capable of inflicting damage. This usually defines the enchanter's role in an
adventuring party as defensive. As with the abjurer, it should be noted that with his low AC, the
enchanter is extremely vulnerable to attacks. A bodyguard with a high AC or a lot of hit points
is more of a necessity than a luxury for an enchanter. Unlike an abjurer, whose defensive spells
operate more or less automatically, the enchanter's defensive spells often require him to take an
additional action after they are successfully cast. A hypnotized victim, for instance, needs to be
told what to do, as does a subject affected by suggestion. Charmed creatures may simply
stand and stare unless directed otherwise by the caster. Clearly, the most effective enchanters
are those who are creative, quick-thinking, and vigilant.

Most Desirable Spells:
Low-Level: Nearly all of the low- level enchantment/charm spells are defensive. The best are
those that allow the enchanter the most latitude in the number of creatures he can affect, such as
hypnotism, sleep, scare, and Tasha's uncontrollable hideous laughter. Though it affects only
one creature, suggestion can be an extremely useful spell in the hands of a creative caster; with
a duration of 1 hour + 1 hour/level, it's also among the longest-lasting low-level spells.
Medium-Level: Enchanted weapon is one of the few offensive spells available in this school,

a valuable addition to any enchanter's repertoire. Charm monster and hold monster have the
advantage of being able to affect a variety of opponents. Magic mirror effectively substitutes
for a crystal ball and other scrying devices. Mass suggestion and eyebite have the most
possibilities of all the medium-level spells in the hands of a creative caster.

High-Level: Unfortunately, few high-level enchantment/charm spells are available to the
enchanter. For their variety of uses, antipathy-sympathy, binding, and mass charm are the
best all-purpose spells. In lieu of a conjurer, demand essentially functions as a conjuration spell.

Ethos: With their high Charisma, enchanters tend to be the most physically attractive and
personable of all the specialists. They are sensitive, passionate, and caring. They believe in the
sanctity of life and share the druid's love of nature. Most enchanters see themselves as
protectors of the helpless and advocates of the weak, but there are some who see their mastery
of enchantment magic as evidence of their inevitable ascendance in the world. Notably, there
are ample numbers of good and evil enchanters, but few neutral ones.

Enchanters are commonly the voice of reason in adventuring parties. They are often able to
devise options and solutions that have eluded their companions. They are excellent team-
players, superb negotiators, and shrewd bargainers. They enjoy fine arts and good
conversation, and are fascinated by magic in all its forms. It is not unusual for an enchanter to
acquire dozens of close friends. Though deeply romantic, enchanters often marry late in life, as
they are reluctant to settle down with just one person.

Fond of the simple life, enchanters usually live in modest homes in small villages. They spend
much of their time tinkering with magical potions and devices, commonly earning money as
counselors, teachers, and farmers

Greater Divination

Description: This school includes a variety of spells that reveal information that would
otherwise remain hidden or secret. Greater divination spells reveal the existence of specific
items, creatures, or conditions, as well as information about the past, present, and future. This
school also includes spells that contact creatures from other planes of existence, but do not
induce direct action from those creatures.

Specialist Name: Diviner.
Allowed Races: Elves, half-elves, and humans are all eligible to specialize as diviners. (Note
that Table 22 on page 31 of the Player's Handbook is incorrect-- gnomes cannot be diviners.)
Ability Requirements: A wizard must have a strong intuition and exceptional willpower to
master divination spells, reflected in a high Wisdom score. Specialists in this school must have a
minimum Wisdom score of 16.
Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting
to save against a divination spell cast by a diviner. A diviner adds a +1 bonus when saving
against divination spells or any magical devices that duplicate these effects.
Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A diviner can memorize an extra spell at each spell
level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of divination.
When a diviner reaches 17th level, he acquires immunity to all forms of scrying spells, such as
ESP and know alignment, as well as immunity against magical items that duplicate these
effects. An opponent using ESP on a 17th level diviner has no more success than if he were
attempting to read the mind of a stone. An opponent using clairaudience on an unseen 17th

level diviner neither receives information nor becomes aware of the diviner's presence.
When a diviner reaches 19th level, he receives the ability to cast a special find traps spell

three times per day. The spell has an area of effect equal to a 10-foot-path up to a range of 30
yards. To cast the spell, the diviner must merely point in the desired direction and concentrate;
no verbal or material components are required. Similar to the 2nd-level priest spell, find traps
reveals the existence of all normally concealed magical and mechanical traps, including alarms,
glyphs, and similar spells and devices. The diviner learns the general nature of the trap (magical
or mechanical) but not its exact effect or how to disarm it.

When a diviner reaches 20th level, he receives the ability to cast a special divination spell
once per day. To cast the spell, the diviner must concentrate for one full turn; no verbal or
material components are required. Similar to the 4th-level priest spell, divination reveals a
useful piece of advice concerning a specific goal, event, or activity that will occur within the next
seven days. The revelation may take the form of an omen, a short phrase, or a cryptic verse, but
it always reveals specific advice. In all cases, the DM controls the type of information revealed
and whether additional divinations will supply additional information. The base chance for a
correct divination is 80 percent, adjusted by the DM for unusual circumstances or extreme
requests (such as a diviner trying to learn the exact location of a powerful artifact). If the dice
roll fails, the diviner knows that the spell failed, unless specific magic yielding false information is
at work.

Oppositional Schools: The diviner is denied access to the school of
conjuration/summoning.

Spell Analysis: The variety of spells available to the diviner is more restricted than any other
school or specialist. Offensive spells -- that is, those that inflict damage on opponents either
directly or indirectly -- are nonexistent for this school. Defensive spells that either inhibit an
enemy's attack ability or provide direct protection for the diviner and his companions are
likewise unavailable. This doesn't mean that the diviner is useless on the battlefield; it means that
his strength lies elsewhere.

As a gatherer of information, the diviner is without peer. A diviner can anticipate unexpected
dangers, can separate the truth from lies, and is exceptionally effective as a spy. He can bolster
his party's defenses by alerting them to the presence of normally undetectable opponents.
Although the repertoire of divination spells is relatively small, the diviner has access to more
schools than any other specialist.

There are two general groups of greater divination spells. One group includes spells that
reveal information about a specific object or creature, such as ESP and locate object. A
second group reveals information about any type of object or creature within the range of the
spell; this group includes detect invisibility and clairvoyance.

Most Desirable Spells:
Low-Level: All 1st-level through 4th-level divination spells are part of the lesser divination
school, and are available to all schools. These are discussed in more detail in the Lesser
Divination section below. However, a well-rounded diviner will have detect magic, read
magic, and ESP included in his repertoire; know alignment and clairvoyance are also
important basic divination spells.
Medium-Level: All of the medium-level divination spells are strong, with legend lore and
true seeing likely to get the most use. Contact other plane is a valuable spell if the diviner's
party lacks a conjurer or other wizard capable of contacting extraplanar creatures.

High-Level: With only a handful of high-level greater divination spells, the diviner has few
choices. Note that foresight is one of the few divination spells that offers the diviner protection
from harm.

Ethos: Diviners are perhaps the wisest of all wizards. Their investigations into the world
around them and their perusal of events of the past and the future empower them with a base of
knowledge and insight rivaled only by the most learned scholars. A diviner typically possesses a
striking insight into the workings of men's minds; few are better judges of character than
diviners.

Diviners tend to be cautious and deliberate in their actions. Because their divinations have
taught them that men are prone to hiding their true feelings and motivations, many diviners are
suspicious and distrustful, sometimes to the point of cynicism. Those diviners who allow distrust
and cynicism to overwhelm them tend to be of evil alignment. Those who accept man's
ambiguous character as a part of the natural order tend to be of neutral alignment. Those who
maintain faith in man's innate goodness tend to be of good alignment.

Diviners are not predisposed to the adventuring life, and accept such a career only
reluctantly. They are not natural combatants; in fact, wizards lacking in physical prowess are
drawn to divination more than any other specialty. Still, diviners make valuable additions to
adventuring parties; their judgement, cunning, and plain common sense are welcome
commodities. A party must take care to provide protection for diviners since they usually lack
any significant ability to defend themselves.

Diviners are loners at heart and do not make close friends easily. They rarely raise large
families. Diviners of good alignment generally harbor no ill feelings against other people, and will
usually assist them when asked. Still, they prefer to live alone in remote areas where they can
conduct their research and investigation undisturbed. Stone towers on cliff sides or atop high
hills are ideal residences for diviners. Though they show little interest in material possessions,
diviners earn money by charging for their services as seers, fortune-tellers, and finders of lost
objects and persons

Illusion

Description: Spells from the school of illusion bend reality to create apparent changes in the
environment, in the caster, or in other persons or creatures. These spells do not cause real
changes as alteration spells do, but instead alter the way that creatures and persons perceive
reality. This school includes both illusion and phantasm spells (the differences are discussed in
the Spell Analysis section below).

Specialist Name: Illusionist.
Allowed Races: Humans and gnomes are eligible to become illusionists. It's not clear why
elves and half-elves are unable to specialize in this school, though some speculate that the same
inborn magical resistance that helps make them immune to charm spells also limits their ability to
focus the magical energy needed to create illusions.
Ability Requirements: The somatic components of most medium-level and high-level
illusions require precise physical manipulations. Therefore, to specialize as an illusionist, a wizard
must have a minimum Dexterity score of 16.
Saving Throw Modifiers: Illusionists add a +1 bonus when rolling saving throws against
any type of illusion. Opponents suffer a -1 penalty when rolling saving throws against

illusion/phantasm spells cast by an illusionist. These modifiers are only used against illusions
where saving throws are applicable.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An illusionist can memorize an extra spell at each
spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of illusion.

When an illusionist reaches 18th level, he adds a +1 bonus when saving against illusions cast
by non-illusionists. (Since this is in addition to his natural +1 modifier, his saving throw bonus
against these attack forms effectively becomes +2.)

When an illusionist reaches 20th level, he acquires the ability to cast a special dispel illusion
spell three times per day. The spell has a range of 30 yards and a casting time of 1. To cast this
spell, the illusionist merely points at the subject and concentrates; no somatic or material
components are required. This spell enables the illusionist to dispel any type of phantasmal
force, including those augmented by audible glamer; however, dispel illusion is effective only
on phantasmal force spells cast by non-illusionists.

Dispel illusion has a base chance of success of 50 percent. For each level of experience that
the illusionist exceeds the caster of the phantasmal force, the chance of success is increased by
5 percent. For each level the caster exceeds the illusionist, the chance is reduced by 5 percent.
(For instance, if a 20th-level illusionist attempts to dispel a phantasmal force created by a
15th-level mage, the illusionist's chance of success is 75 percent.) If an illusionist casts dispel
illusion at a subject that isn't an illusion, there is no effect, but the attempt counts against the
illusionist's daily limit of dispel illusion spells.

Oppositional Schools: An illusionist cannot learn spells from the schools of necromancy,
invocation/evocation, and abjuration.

Spell Analysis: Spells of this school can be grouped into two general categories: illusions
and phantasms. Illusions are spells that simulate reality, creating artificial conditions of light,
color, sound, and scent. Audible glamer is an example of an illusion that simulates sound. In
general, the lower-level illusions are of limited use in combat situations, providing neither direct
protection from damage nor the ability to inflict damage on opponents. Though most illusions
create only the appearance of reality, some high-level spells tap extradimensional forces to
create illusions with physical substance, capable of inflicting damage and otherwise interacting
with the real world. Shadow monsters is an example of a quasi-real illusion. These are the most
useful types of illusion spells in combat, as they can create illusionary creatures to attack
opponents and execute an assortment of other tactical actions. Another type of illusion focuses
extradimensional forces to alter the physical form of the caster. Wraithform is an example.
These are especially good defensive spells, as they protect the caster from a variety of attack
forms.

Phantasms are the second general group of illusion spells. Phantasms directly manipulate the
perception of their victims. Phantasms do not create images, they induce responses. Spook is an
example of a phantasm that induces the response of fear. Phantasms are also good defensive
spells, more so than illusions that alter the caster's form, since they can affect a number of
opponents within a given range.

Because spells from the school of illusion are mainly concerned with the creation of images
and are of limited use on the battlefield, many feel that illusionists are the weakest of all the
specialists. In a broad sense, however, no school provides a wizard with more options, since in
most cases, illusion spells are limited only by the caster's imagination. For instance, consider the
1st-level illusion spell phantasmal force. A dull-witted wizard might consider this a useless

spell; after all, its illusions have only visual components. A silent monster might scare away a
nervous bandit, but what else can you do with it? Plenty, answers the creative illusionist, and
the effects aren't confined to the battlefield. Here are some examples:

• The party is being pursued by a hoard of orcs. The wizard uses phantasmal force to
create the illusion of a wall of bramble bushes behind the party to slow down the
pursuers. Alternately, he creates a swarm of wasps, a cloud of ominous green gas, or a
pool of quicksand to slow them down.

• The hungry party wants to catch some fish for the evening meal. They have lines and
hooks, but no bait. The wizard uses phantasmal force to create a colorful, sparkling
lure.

• The party wishes to lure an enemy into a cave for an ambush. The wizard uses
phantasmal force to create the illusion of great treasure just inside the cave and -- in
goes the greedy enemy.

• The wizard has met a beautiful damsel whom he wishes to impress. He takes her to a
secluded woodland and uses phantasmal force to create the illusion of a patch of
beautiful wild flowers.

Most Desirable Spells:
Low-Level: Phantasmal force, ventriloquism, improved phantasmal force, and spectral
force are the most versatile low- level illusionist spells when wielded by a creative caster.
Spook, invisibility, wraithform, and invisibility, 10' radius are excellent defensive spells.
Medium-Level: With access to 4th-level and higher spells, the illusionist becomes a strong
combatant, as he can take advantage of powerful, quasi-real illusions such as phantasmal
killer, shadow monsters, demi-shadow monsters, shadow magic, demi-shadow magic, and
shades. The options for the creative illusionist also expand, with access to the complex
creations possible with minor creation, advanced illusion, major creation, permanent
illusion, and programmed illusion.
High-Level: Unfortunately, the number of spells available to the illusionist drops dramatically
at higher levels. Shadow walk is invaluable if the wizard anticipates travel to the plane of
shadow; in certain situations, it also functions as an effective banishment spell. Mass invisibility
can mean the difference between victory and defeat in combat involving a large number of
participants. Simulacrum has the most possibilities of all the creation illusions, while weird can
be the most deadly of all the offensive illusion spells.
Ethos: Illusionists tend to be flamboyant, outgoing, and self-assured. Remarkably creative,
they enjoy art, literature, poetry, and music, and many are accomplished artists in their own
rights. Though their aptitude for scholarly pursuits is as high as any other specialist, illusionists
tend to spend less time involved in research, preferring the company of people to the isolation of
the laboratory.
Illusionists have sharp minds, but they are not particularly deep thinkers. Pragmatic by nature,
they accept the impermanence of all things, believing that any attempt at developing an all-
encompassing philosophy to explain the meaning of existence is ultimately futile and therefore a
waste of time. Illusionists tend to be of good and neutral alignments, since wizards inclined
toward evil usually opt for a specialization they perceive as being more powerful.
Because of their forceful personalities and sharp minds, illusionists make good leaders of an
adventuring party, but they also make equally good lieutenants and strategists. Because low-
level and medium-level illusionists usually lack defensive spells, a party must provide

bodyguards or other protection to keep them healthy; such illusionists are best kept in the center
of the party when traveling.

Illusionists enjoy the hustle and bustle of urban life, and usually maintain well-furnished homes
in the heart of a city. They usually have a host of friends and acquaintances, and are loyal and
loving spouses. Illusionists earn a living as entertainers, artists, mercenaries, teachers, and
shopkeepers

Invocation/Evocation

Description: This school includes two types of spells, both of which use magical energy to
create specific effects by bringing forth special forces that the caster shapes into constructs of
energy or constructs of matter. Evocation spells use the natural magical forces of the planes.
Invocation spells call on the intervention of powerful extradimensional beings.

Specialist Name: Invoker.
Allowed Races: Only humans are able to incorporate the complimentary energies necessary
to master the spells of this school. Therefore, only humans are eligible to become invokers.
Ability Requirements: Because of the powerful energies involved, a lifetime of casting
invocation/evocation spells is extremely stressful to a wizard's health. A minimum Constitution of
16 is necessary to specialize as an invoker.
Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting
to save against an invocation/evocation spell cast by an invoker. An invoker adds a +1 bonus
when saving against invocation/evocation spells.
Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An invoker can memorize an extra spell at each spell
level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of
invocation/evocation. When an invoker reaches 17th level, he gains an additional +1 bonus
when saving against invocation/evocation spells or against magical devices duplicating the effects
of these spells. With his natural saving throw modifier, this effectively raises his bonus to +2.
When an invoker reaches 20th level, he gains another +1 bonus when saving against
invocation/evocation spells, effectively raising his bonus to +3.
Oppositional Schools: The invoker is denied access to spells from the schools of
enchantment/charm and conjuration/summoning.
Spell Analysis: This school offers the specialist a range of spells of staggering power. In
fact, no school has a wider variety of offensive spells available at all levels.
The high-level offensive evocation spells are nothing short of devastating; a single meteor
swarm for instance, can inflict up to 160 hit points of damage. Accordingly, an invoker can be
thought of as the wizardly equivalent of the mightiest fighter; when armed with a repertoire of
invocation/evocation spells, the invoker is easily among the game's most powerful characters.
The invoker also has access to a number of potent defensive spells. Some of these provide
protection against specific types of attacks, such as shield and fire shield, while others offer
protection by hindering the actions of all enemies within the range of the spell, such as wall of
fog and shout. Generally, the spells hindering enemy actions will prove to be more useful than
spells protecting against a specific type of attack, unless the invoker suspects that he will be
encountering specific types of monsters. For instance, if fire lizards roam the land, it's prudent to
memorize fire shield.
A wise invoker realizes that the strongest spells are not necessarily the best ones. For

instance, assume that a 10th-level invoker and his party are about to venture into an unknown
area where large numbers of hostile creatures are rumored to live. Though the creatures are
numerous, they're also rumored to be low-level, perhaps no more than 3 HD each. The invoker
has both lightning bolt and Melf's minute meteors in his spell book -- which of the two will be
the most helpful? The damage caused by a single lightning bolt exceeds that of minute
meteors, but the lightning bolt can be used only once, while minute meteors enables the
invoker to make up to ten attacks. A typical 3 HD monster has about 12 hit points.
Undoubtedly, the lightning bolt will wipe out a 3 HD monster, but much of the lightning bolt's
power is likely to wasted. With luck, the minute meteors will disable numerous 3 HD monsters.

It is wise to memorize powerful single-shot offensive spells (such as lightning bolt and
fireball) when the party expects to encounter high-level monsters, and to memorize multiple-
shot spells (such as chain lightning and Melf's minute meteors) capable of disabling a number
of opponents when low-level monsters are expected.

Though the invoker wields great power, it's important to remember that his Armor Class is
no better than that of any other specialist. An invoker armed with lightning bolt, fireball, and a
range of other formidable offensive spells is still vulnerable to attacks. A party who repeatedly
sends their invoker on dangerous assignments alone or an invoker who consistently volunteers
for such assignments is tempting fate; a single trap or successfully executed ambush can easily
mean the end of his life.

Most Desirable Spells:
Low-Level: Magic missile is the most potent 1st-level offensive spell. Fireball, lightning
bolt, and Melf's minute meteors are killers, perhaps the best low-level offensive spells of any
school. Wall of fog and web are the best low-level offensive spells.
Medium-Level: There are three medium-level spells whose multiple forms make them
particularly attractive; interestingly, they all are all cold-based spells. These include ice storms
(two forms), wall of ice (three forms), and Otiluke's freezing sphere (three forms). Dream is a
similarly attractive spell, since the invoker also gains access to its reverse, nightmare. Shout,
wall of iron, and Tenser's transformation are all effective as both offensive and defensive
spells. Cloudkill and chain lightning are excellent additions to any invoker's arsenal.
High-Level: Limited wish is limited only by the imagination of the caster and the parameters
set by the DM (see the discussion of wish spells in Chapter 7 for more information). Binding,
with its six different forms, is a terrific defensive spell. All but the mightiest of opponents will
yield to an invoker armed with one or more of the following: Bigby's clenched fist, incendiary
cloud, Bigby's crushing hand, energy drain, and meteor swarm.
Ethos: The school of evocation/invocation attracts the most serious-minded, intense, and
determined wizards. Most are single-mindedly devoted to the mastery of their craft. Invokers of
good alignment devote themselves to using their skills to promote goodness and eliminate evil,
willing to sacrifice their lives if necessary. For evil-aligned invokers, the magic of invocation is
the key to their ascendancy; to them, good is weakness and evil is strength. Because specialists
of this school are men and women of extreme philosophies, invokers of neutral alignment are
rare.
Invokers are natural leaders: fearless, inspiring, and authoritative. Their courage on the
battlefield is without peer, and they perform as aggressors alongside the most able fighters.
Since they are introspective, soft-spoken, and emotionally distant, invokers seldom establish
strong personal relationships.

Invokers will live anywhere they can maintain their privacy. Common people willingly leave
them alone, fearing their power and even regarding them as dangerous, and invokers do little to
dispel this reputation. They shun material possessions, needing only enough funds to finance their
research. They primarily earn money as teachers, though they will occasionally sign on as
members of adventuring parties in order to find treasure

Necromancy

Description: This powerful school involves spells dealing with death and the dead. These
spells drain vitality from living creatures and restore life functions to unliving creatures. Bones,
blood, spirits, and apparitions are all associated with the magical energies shaped and controlled
by the specialists of this school.

Specialist Name: Necromancer.
Allowed Races: As in the school of invocation/evocation, only the spirits of humans
incorporate the energies necessary to master the spells of necromancy. Therefore, only humans
are eligible to become necromancers.
Ability Requirements: Since only the most enlightened, strong-willed, and intuitive wizards
can become specialists of this school, necromancers must have a minimum Wisdom of 16.
Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting
to save against a necromancy spell cast by a necromancer, or against an attack from an undead
creature either created or controlled by a necromancer. A necromancer adds a +1 bonus when
saving against necromancy spells, or against any attacks made by undead creatures.
Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A necromancer can memorize an extra spell at each
spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of necromancy.
When a necromancer reaches 17th level, he adds another +1 bonus when saving against
necromancy spells or against any attacks made by undead creatures. With his natural +1 bonus,
this effectively raises his saving throw bonus to +2.
When a necromancer reaches 20th level, he gains the ability to cast a special form of speak
with dead once per day. To cast the spell, the necromancer must merely point to the subject
and concentrate for one round; no verbal or material components are necessary. The spell
enables the necromancer to ask questions of a single dead creature and receive answers
according to the knowledge of that creature. The creature can not have died more than 100
years ago, and the caster must be able to converse in a language that the dead creature formerly
used. The necromancer can converse with the dead creature for one full turn and can ask up to
four questions.
Regardless of the creature's level or alignment, it receives no saving throw against this spell.
However, the creature will be as evasive as possible, tending to give brief and sometimes
cryptic answers.
Additionally, the creature's knowledge is usually confined to what it knew in life (it cannot
convey information about what may have happened to it after its death).
Oppositional Schools: The necromancer cannot learn spells from the schools of illusion and
enchantment/charm.
Spell Analysis: Though the school of necromancy has a relatively small number of spells,
they are among the most potent available to any of the specialists. In terms of sheer power, the
necromantic spells compare to those from the school of invocation/evocation.

Necromantic spells can be sorted into three general groups. One group includes spells that
imbue the caster or a person of the caster's choice with special abilities similar to the effects of
certain enchantment and alteration spells. Chill touch, enervation, death spell, and finger of
death are examples of this type of spell. The majority of this group are extremely powerful
offensive spells; death spell and finger of death in particular are effective against a wide range
of opponents. A necromancer armed with a repertoire of these spells bolsters his party's
offensive capabilities considerably. Reincarnation can be considered part of this group, since it
imbues the subject with a special ability; namely, a second chance at life.

A second group of necromancy spells includes those that create creatures or physical forces
to fight on the caster's behalf. Spectral hand and animate dead are examples. Summon
shadow is also included in this group, although in this case, an actual creature is summoned
rather than created. Since these spells enhance the caster's ability to inflict damage on
opponents, they can be considered offensive spells.

A third group of necromancy spells enables the caster to affect the actions of other creatures,
usually undead. Hold undead, contagion, and control undead are examples. Since these
spells inhibit the attack capabilities of the affected creatures, they can be considered defensive
spells, although in the case of control undead, the affected creatures can also be used to attack
enemies.

The majority of the necromancer's spells probably won't come from just one of these groups.
More likely, he will acquire a number of spells from each of these groups over the course of his
career. Though all of the necromancy spells are extremely powerful, in most cases, the offensive
spells are his best choices, since their power has no parallel in spells from other schools (for
instance, it would probably take a 9th-level wish to duplicate the effects of a 6th-level death
spell).

The necromancer doesn't exhibit much magical strength until he reaches the higher levels. A
low-level necromancer of 6th level or lower might contribute little to a party's defensive or
offensive capabilities. A low-level necromancer requires extra protection from his companions;
he must also adopt a realistic attitude about his effectiveness in combat and avoid taking
unnecessary risks. However, once the necromancer gains access to the middle-level and higher-
level spells (at 6th-level and above), his capabilities increase at a rapid rate. He needs only to
live long enough to get there.

Most Desirable Spells:
Low-Level: The low-level spells are somewhat weak, although chill touch, spectral hand,
and vampiric touch are all good offensive spells. Hold undead and detect undead will be
invaluable if the wizard or his party will be venturing into catacombs, burial grounds, or other
places where such creatures are likely to be encountered.
Medium-Level: All of the spells in this group are exceptionally strong. Magic jar and
reincarnation are unique in their utilities, their powers comparable only to that of a wish.
Death spell, enervation, summon shadow, animate dead, and contagion all have a variety
of uses on the battlefield.
High-Level: There are only a few high-level necromancy spells, but all of them are extremely
potent. Control undead, finger of death, and energy drain can make the mightiest opponents
tremble. Wizards planning to employ clone should carefully consider the time it takes to use;
though the casting time is only a single turn, it can take up to eight months for the clone to grow.
Ethos: The necromancer exhibits a fascination with life and death that borders on the

obsessive. He is typically brooding, humorless, and withdrawn. Casual acquaintances consider
him to be cold and hostile, but those who befriend the necromancer may come to know him as
a caring, complex individual whose emotions run deep. The necromancer can be a valued and
trustworthy companion, but he is also prone to bouts of depression so extreme that it becomes
difficult for him to interact with others to any meaningful degree.

Continual exposure to forces associated with undead creatures can have a corrupting effect
on wizards with even the slightest inclinations toward evil. Consequently, the number of evil-
aligned necromancers is rumored to far outweigh the number of those of good alignment.
Neutral necromancers are virtually non-existent; in general, a necromancer either has a will
strong enough to resist the lure of darkness, or he submits to the corruption and devotes himself
to a life of evil.

Befriending a necromancer will try the patience of even the most understanding character.
Since necromancers prefer solitude to companionship, and silence to conversation, it is little
wonder that few of them have spouses; the best mate for a necromancer is another
necromancer.

In spite of their reticence, most good- aligned necromancers are unshakable in their
determination to confront and extinguish evil and will join like-minded individuals to undertake
these types of missions. Understandably, necromancers make poor leaders, but they are
valuable additions to adventuring parties. Not only do necromancers wield unmatched power,
their familiarity with the world's dark forces makes them virtually fearless. On the other hand,
much to a leader's chagrin, a necromancer does not always follow orders automatically; a
necromancer who disagrees with his party's strategy may simply strike out on his own.

Necromancers live as far from civilized regions as they can, establishing residences in ancient
castles, deep caverns, or even abandoned crypts. They spend most of their time engaged in
arcane research, reading, studying, and writing.

Necromancers seldom have careers, though they occasionally earn money as teachers and
mercenaries. High-level necromancers simply order undead creatures to fetch them treasure
when funds are low

Abandoning a School

With the DM's permission, it is possible for a wizard to abandon a specialty, but the
restrictions and penalties for doing so are severe

Mages

Mages cannot abandon their careers to become specialists. Once a wizard decides to
become a mage, he must remain so for the duration of his career

Specialists

Any specialist can abandon his school, but only to become a mage. A specialist cannot
become a specialist from a different school. A specialist's decision to abandon his school to
become a mage is permanent -- under no circumstances can he again become a specialist of his
original school. A specialist keeps all of the spell bonuses that he had prior to his conversion,

but receives no more bonus spells after he abandons his school to become a mage. He loses all
saving throw bonuses at the time of his conversion (for instance, he no longer receives a +1
bonus when making saving throws against spells of his former specialty that are cast by other
wizards).

Once he abandons his school, a former specialist's chances of learning new spells are
affected as follows:

• When attempting to learn a spell of his former specialty, he no longer receives a bonus
(e.g., an illusionist who abandons his school no longer receives a +15 percent bonus
when attempting to learn illusion spells).

• When attempting to learn spells from other schools, he still suffers a penalty (e.g., an
illusionist who abandons his school still has a -15 percent penalty when attempting to
learn spells from the schools of alteration, greater divination, enchantment/charm, and
conjuration/summoning).

• When attempting to learn spells from schools in opposition to his former specialty, his
chance is computed according to the following formula:

Percent chance = 1/2 (base chance to learn a spell -15 percent)

For instance, a former necromancer with an Intelligence of 13 wants to learn an illusion spell.
Since necromancy is one of the schools that was in opposition to his former school, his chance
to learn the spell is 1/2 (55-15), which equals 20 percent.

A Word About Minor Schools

Lesser Divination

The divination spells of 4th-level and below are collectively known as the school of lesser
divination. Lesser divination is considered to be a minor school of magic; that is, wizards can't
become specialists in lesser divination.

The term "minor" is used informally in this context. It means that specialists from any school
are allowed to learn and use these spells. Many of the lesser divination spells, such as detect
magic and read magic are basic to the practice of magic. Others, such as identify, ESP, and
know alignment are vital to the basic repertoire of any specialist. Without access to the spells
of lesser divination, a wizard's ability to function would be frustratingly limited, particularly at the
lower levels.

At first glance, the existence of the school of lesser divination would seem to reduce the role
of the diviner; after all, no other school allows all specialists such easy access to their low-level
spells. However, an examination of the requirements for all schools shows that only the conjurer
has greater divination as an opposition school; every other specialist has access to the low-level
divination spells. In practice, the existence of the minor school of lesser divination serves only to
give the conjurer access to the low-level divination spells.

Although all specialists can learn lesser divination spells, they cannot learn them any more
easily or effectively than they can learn spells from schools other than their own. All non-diviners
learn lesser divination spells at a penalty of -15 percent on the Intelligence Table (Table 4, page
16 PHB); for instance, either a conjurer or an illusionist with an Intelligence of 15 has a 50

percent chance of learning any given lesser divination spell.
All lesser divination spells are also considered to be part of the school of greater divination.

Therefore, a diviner has a 15 percent bonus on the Intelligence Table to learn lesser divination
spells; for instance, a diviner with an Intelligence of 15 has an 80 percent chance of learning any
lesser divination spell.

New Minor Schools

Do other minor schools of magic exist? That's a decision for the DM. Depending on the
DM's style and the parameters of his campaign, he could select a small group of spells and
assign them to a minor school. For instance, a minor school of lesser illusions could include all
illusions of 1st-level through 3rd-level. A minor school of lesser abjuration/necromancy could
include all abjuration and necromancy spells of 1st level.

To add color to the campaign rule, the DM might want to create a historical explanation for
the existence of any new minor schools. It's possible, for instance, that the minor school of
lesser illusions was created by the administration of an academy of magic to accommodate
students who lacked the aptitude to become full-fledged illusionists. The minor school of
abjuration/necromancy might have been developed by an ancient clan of good-aligned wizards
to help protect them from attacks by a rival band of abjurers allied with a force of undead.

All wizards, regardless of their specialty, should have access to the spells of any minor
school. If he wishes, the DM may assign bonuses and penalties to the various specialists'
chances of learning the spells of a related minor school. Some possibilities follow.

• A specialist has a 15 percent (or 30 percent) bonus, a non-specialist has a 15 percent (or
30 percent) penalty.

• A specialist has a 30 percent bonus, a non-specialist has a 30 percent penalty.
• Both the specialist and the non-specialist have 15 percent (or 30 percent) bonuses.

Careful judgement should always be exercised when adding new minor schools. Remember
that the more access characters have to magic, the more powerful they become. And the more
powerful the characters are, the harder it is for the DM to maintain play balance. In general, the
following two guidelines should apply:

• A minor school should include only a handful of low-level spells, none of them higher than
4th-level. Four or five 1st-level spells, two or three 2nd-level spells, one or two 3rd-level
spells, and one or two 4th-level spells are sufficient.

• A campaign should include no more than two minor schools. (Note than in almost every
campaign, one of the two minor schools will be lesser divination.)

Chapter 2: Creating New Schools

The Player's Handbook lists eight different greater schools of magic, but more are possible.
Additional schools can expand a player's options, add color to the campaign, and allow the DM
to put his own mark on the game. Designing new magic schools is one of the DM's toughest
jobs, but it can also be one of the most rewarding.

This chapter presents a step-by-step procedure for creating schools of magic from scratch.

We'll demonstrate the process by creating a brand new school right before your eyes the school
of metamorphics.

At the end of this book is a blank planning sheet. This may be copied to help you design your
own new schools

The Basics of Creating Schools

Before creating a school, following are a few general guidelines to keep in mind.
New schools should be unique. A new magic school should not overlap any of the existing
schools. Since the eight major schools cover a lot of ground and there are already hundreds of
spells in the AD&D® game, this is not as easy as it sounds. Not only should the DM avoid new
magic schools whose spells duplicate the effects of existing spells, he should also avoid
trespassing on the priest's territory. For instance, a school of magic focusing on healing spells
isn't a good idea, since it conflicts with one of the priest's special areas.
A new school shouldn't be too powerful. The existence of a school whose spells can
destroy dragons, level cities, and render the caster invulnerable makes it extremely difficult for
the DM to maintain play balance. It's next to impossible for the DM to invent suitable challenges
for wizards wielding that much power, ultimately making the game boring for all. The school of
necromancy is about as powerful as any school should be.
A new school shouldn't be too weak. On the other hand, players won't be interested in a
school that doesn't offer them a measure of power comparable to what's available in the existing
schools. The school of greater divination is about as weak as any school should be.
A new school must be described precisely. Magical effects are difficult enough to
adjudicate when their definitions are detailed and specific. When they're indefinite and
ambiguous, it's nearly impossible to make consistent rulings and avoid frustrating players

Type of Magic

The first step in designing a new school is to decide what type of magical energy will be
wielded by the specialist and how that energy will manifest itself. The type of magic must be
general enough to encompass a variety of spells and effects, but it also must be specific enough
to differentiate it from existing schools.

Before examining the specifics, consider the differences between the magic of wizards and
the magic of priests. Though some duplication exists-- both have access to necromantic and
summoning spells, for instance-- the way they acquire spells is strikingly different

Priests vs. Wizards

Priests are granted the use of spells by deities of specific mythoi. Each deity has authority
over particular groups of concepts, forces, and things, and these groups are called spheres. A
priest's allegiance to his deity gives him access to certain spheres of magic that reflect the deity's
special interests. Consequently, the magic of each sphere tends to be quite specific; spells from
the sun sphere, for instance, deal primarily with light and darkness, while spells from the healing
sphere deal primarily with curing.

Unlike the priest, a wizard isn't bound to a particular deity, and therefore does not depend on

a deity for his magical abilities. A wizard learns and masters his spells in much the same way that
a professor learns and masters a particular science. This is why the wizard class is a function of
Intelligence. Wizardly schools focus on general categories of magical energy and effects and
encompass a wide variety of spells.

To preserve the integrity of these differences between wizard magic and priest magic, any
new wizard school should avoid focusing on magical effects stemming from one particular
condition or thing. Instead, the school should be concerned with the manipulation of general
energies and forces

Categories of Effects

Confused? Consider the following.
Just as electrical energy or mechanical energy can be harnessed to accomplish specific tasks,
it is also possible to channel magical energy to accomplish specific results. But while electrical
and mechanical energies are limited by physics and other natural sciences, magical energy
knows no such mundane boundaries. Magical energies can be channeled to produce any of the
following list of effects.
Transformation: When this type of effect is produced, an object or condition is changed to
give it different physical properties or new special abilities.
Creation: When this type of effect is produced, an object or condition is created that did
not previously exist.
Requisitioning: When this type of effect is produced, an existing object or condition is
summoned from a different location.
Paranaturalism: This type of effect involves the manipulation of forces and phenomena that
exist beyond the confines of the material world and the laws governing it. (This can also be
considered a catch-all category that includes effects not covered in other categories.)
All of the existing schools of magic can be assigned to these categories.
The schools of alteration, enchantment/charm, and abjuration all involve Transformation.
The schools of illusion and invocation/evocation involve Creation.
Conjuration/summoning involves Requisitioning.
Divination and necromancy involve Paranaturalism.

Although some overlapping occurs (for instance, magical energies that Requisition existing
objects may Transform them as well), all magic schools channel magical energies to produce the
effects defined in these four categories.

What differentiates one school from another is the type of effects produced. For example,
both illusion and invocation/evocation channel magical energy for Creation. However, illusions
create unreal objects and conditions; invocations create objects and conditions that cause direct
physical effects

Defining the Effects of a New School

To begin the design of a new school, the DM must first define the type of effects it produces.
Any definition is likely to be vague. But at this stage, it should be. Unlike the intentionally
specific priestly sphere, a wizardly school must be general enough to accommodate a large

variety of spells.
Use the steps that follow.
1. Choose one type of channelled magical energy from the four categories described above:

Transformation, Creation, Requisitioning, or Paranaturalism. If you know what type of school
you plan to design, the choice of category probably will be obvious. If you do not yet have any
ideas about your school, pick any of the categories-- it's a good place to start. (If your choice
of categories seems less appropriate as your school develops, you can always pick another.)

2. Define what specific type of effects these channelled energies will produce. If it is a
Transformation school, what types of things or conditions will be transformed? If it is a
Paranaturalism school, what type of paranatural energies or forces will be involved.

3. Ensure that the definition of the new school does not resemble the definitions of existing
schools too closely. Compare them with the school descriptions in Chapter 1.

How It All Works

To illustrate this procedure, a new school is created here. First, one of the categories of
channelled energy is chosen. The school will involve changing one type of item into another, so
the choice is the Transformation category.

Next, we define the type of Transformation effects the school will produce. This definition
needs to be as clear as possible; writing down the definition in a sentence or two will put it on
the right track. Our school will feature spells that cause an object or condition to change into a
different but related object or condition. That description is vague, but good enough to get
started.

Is this school sufficiently different from existing schools? Our school sounds very similar to
the school of alteration, so it needs some adjustments. Since many of the alteration spells imbue
a creature with special abilities, such as water breathing and fly, we can decide that the spells
from our school will deal with physical transformations only. Further, all of our physical
transformations will be permanent (subject to the usual limitations, such as cancellation by
dispel magic).

Throughout the remainder of this chapter, we'll continue to develop this school as a
demonstration

Name of the School

Once you have an idea for a school, it needs a name. If an obvious name doesn't suggest
itself, as it did for the school of illusion, check a thesaurus for synonymous words or evocative
phrases. Fantasy literature is another good source for names.

Since our new school deals with change, we checked the thesaurus for synonyms and found
metamorphosis, a word that is descriptive, has a nice scholarly ring to it, and even sounds a
little mystical. We'll christen it the school of metamorphics.

Name of the Specialist

Specialists usually derive their names from the names of their schools by changing the suffix.
Thus, from abjuration comes the abjurer, and from illusion comes the illusionist. Most of the

time, this technique is satisfactory.
However, some schools simply do not lend themselves to wizardly-sounding names. For

instance, the word alterer is clumsy, so the school of alteration has opted for the less awkward
transmuter for the name of their specialist. We have a similar problem with our school of
metamorphics-- both metamorphist and metamorpher are clumsy. Returning to the thesaurus,
we find the word transfigure. We can call our specialist a transfigurist.

Spells

The most important part of creating a new school is designing new spells that are different
enough to set it apart from existing schools. There must be enough new spells to provide the
user a reasonable variety of options. At the same time, duplication of existing spells should be
avoided. Minor variations of existing spells should also be avoided. The spell selection should
be attractive enough so that novice wizards will consider specializing in it, but not so powerful
that the school overwhelms all others

Basic Spells

A new school does not need an extensive number of spells immediately. Beginning with a
core of basic spells is best, adding new spells as required by the campaign and the players.

An acceptable core of basic spells includes the number of spells for each level given in Table
1. Note that this is approximately the number of spells for the schools of greater divination and
necromancy given in the Player's Handbook. If the DM is unable to invent this number of
spells, he should concentrate on designing spells to fill the lower levels (levels 1-3) so his lower-
level specialists can begin their careers

Table 1: Minimum Spells for A New School

Level No. of Spells
1st 3
2nd 3
3rd 2
4th 2
5th 2
6th 2
7th 1
8th 1
9th 1

Adapting Existing Spells

Before attempting to design new spells, first look at the existing spells for other schools.
Notice that a number of spells listed in the Player's Handbook belong to more than one school;
rainbow pattern, for instance, belongs to the schools of alteration and illusion, while limited
wish belongs to conjuration/summoning and invocation/evocation. Do any of the PH spells (or

any of the new spells listed in Chapter 8 of this book) seem appropriate for your new school?
The alteration spells transmute rock to mud and transmute water to dust are perfect for our
school of metamorphics-- they both cause one substance to change to another, they both cause
physical changes, and in both cases the effects are permanent.

There are other likely candidates from the PH spells for our school, but using an excessive
number of duplicate spells (more than two or three) compromises the individuality of a new
school.

Ideas for New Spells

The DM and players will need to brainstorm for ideas that will eventually be developed to fill
in the basic spell list. Although the DM makes the final decisions when designing spells for a new
school, the contributions and ideas of the players are important. Fantasy literature is another
good source of ideas, as are the abilities of magical monsters and functions of magical devices.
The DM and his players might also discuss encounters or battles from previous adventures and
decide what types of spells would have been useful for the wizards.

The DM (with the assistance of the players) should then assign a spell name to each idea and
decide the general effects of the potential spells. The names of the spells should be brief and
descriptive. The effects can be approximate at this point-- they'll be refined later. We do not
have the space here to develop a full range of spells for our metamorphics school, but here are
three potential spells we'll use as examples:

Evaporate: This spell changes liquids into gases.
Blood to dust: This spell changes an opponent's blood to dust, instantly killing him.
Improved armor: This spell changes a companion's armor to a better Armor Class

Checking for Duplication

Each potential spell should be checked against the spells in the Player's Handbook to see if
it already exists. Considering that the PH lists hundreds of spells, re-inventing an existing spell is
easy. A DM need not be obsessive about this; a large number of existing spells inflict damage or
add bonuses and penalties to saving throws. As long as the new spell has a unique twist of its
own, it can be deemed acceptable.

Of our examples, we notice that blood to dust is superficially similar to the 7th-level finger
of death spell, since they both instantly take a victim's life. But the methods of achieving this
effect are distinctly different; blood to dust changes the victim's blood to an inert substance,
while finger of death snuffs out the victim's life force. Further, blood to dust is only effective on
victims with blood in their veins. Blood to dust is different enough to stand on its own.

Checking for Play Balance

After checking them against existing spells, all potential spells of a new school must be
considered for play balance. Imagine that the wizard employs a particular spell every day-- will
constant use have any significant long-term effects on the balance of the game?

Consider our potential metamorphic spells. Evaporate won't have any profound effects on
the game, assuming it has reasonable limitations (for instance, evaporating an entire ocean

should be prohibited). At best, blood to dust means one less opponent per day.
But improved armor presents a problem. Since our metamorphic spells are permanent,

wouldn't a transfigurist immediately improve all of his party's armor as much as he could? Is this
fair? We can't make the effects temporary, or we're violating the definition of our school. Let's
throw out improved armor and invent another spell later.

Determining Effects and Levels

Once the inappropriate spells have been discarded, we need to define and describe the
specific effects of the remaining spells, then assign them to levels. The description of a spell
should cover its typical uses, but it is unnecessary-- and realistically, impossible-- to deal with
every possible application. More importantly, the description should cover the spell's limitations
in detail; not only do precise limitations make spells easier to adjudicate, they are easier to
assign to levels.

Here are some points to consider when assigning limitations to spells:
How many subjects can be affected by the spell? Generally, the more subjects affected,
the higher the level of the spell (compare invisibility to mass invisibility, and charm person to
mass charm).

What type of subjects can be affected by the spell? Subjects can be low-level or high-
level (or low HD and high HD). They can also have specific characteristics (such as the subjects
of detect invisibility), or they can be general types with no specific characteristics (such as the
subjects of charm monster). Usually, higher-level spells are able to affect high-level (or high
HD) subjects that have no specific characteristics-- finger of death is a good example.

Are victims allowed a saving throw to avoid the effects of the spell? Disallowing a
saving throw for a spell that would normally have one usually boosts it to a higher level. For
instance, the 5th-level cone of cold allows a saving throw to reduce a victim's damage by half.
If such a throw were not allowed, the spell would be significantly more dangerous and would
belong in a higher level.

If the spell causes damage, what is the maximum? It would be grossly inappropriate for
any 1st-level spell to inflict 100 hit points of damage. Similarly, a 9th-level spell should be
capable of inflicting a significant amount of damage. Table 2 suggests the maximum amount of
damage a spell of a particular level should be allowed to inflict on a single enemy. These figures
are general guidelines only, and can be altered by any number of variables. For instance, if a
hypothetical 3rd-level flying sword spell has only a 10 percent chance of hitting its target, its
maximum amount of damage could be justifiably higher than 3-18 hit points.

Remember that the inflicted damage of certain spells may vary according to the caster's level;
for instance, fireball causes 1d6 hit points of damage per level of the caster. (Table 2 gives the
damage for a spell cast at its base level; if our hypothetical flying sword spell is 3rd-level, but
can be cast at higher levels to inflict more damage, Table 2 indicates the maximum amount of
damage it can cause when cast at its lowest level. )

Table 2: Suggested Maximum Damage of Spells by Level

Level Maximum Damage of Spell (in hp)
1st 2-5 (1d4 +1)
2nd 2-8 (2d4)
3rd 3-18 (3d6)
4th 8-20 (4d4 +4)
5th 10-25 (5d4 +5)
6th 6-36 (6d6)
7th 10-60 (10d6) *
8th-9th 10-80 (10d8) *

* Spells of 7th-level through 9th- level are differentiated by the number of subjects destroyed
and special restrictions on death. For instance, a 7th-level spell might destroy only a single
subject, while a 9th-level spell could destroy several. A 7th-level spell might allow a saving
throw, while a 9th-level spell might not. A 7th-level spell might allow resurrection attempts, a
9th-level spell might not.

If the spell causes damage, do victims get a saving throw? Of the spells in the Player's
Handbook, many of them allow the victim to make a saving throw in order to reduce or
eliminate the potential damage. Though it is unnecessary to allow saving throws in every case,
this is a good way to add balance to what otherwise might be an especially dangerous spell.
There are three options to consider.

1. No saving throw. This option maximizes a spell's lethality.
2. Half damage. This option means that the character suffers half-damage if his saving throw
is successful. This is less lethal than a spell with no saving throw, but more lethal than the
following option.
3. Negate. This option means that the character suffers no damage if his saving throw is
successful. This is the least lethal option of all.
Note that saving throws need not always be saving throws vs. spells; consider different types
of saving throws for spells of higher levels (in every case, however, only one type of saving
throw should be allowed). A saving throw vs. spells is always an option, no matter what the
level of spell, but here are some alternatives:
• For spells of 3rd-level and 4th-level, use save vs. rods.
• For spells of 5th-level and 6th-level, use save vs. paralyzation.
• For spells of 7th-level, 8th-level, and 9th-level, use save vs. death.

If the spell is defensive, does it inhibit the enemy's ability to attack, or does it offer
direct protection from damage? Generally, spells that defend against a specific type of
damage (such as protection from normal missiles) are less powerful than spells that protect
against a general category of damage (such as minor globe of invulnerability), and spells that
protect the caster or subjects of the caster's choice (such as protection from evil) are less
powerful than spells that inhibit the enemy's ability to attack (such as wall of fog). The highest-
level defensive spells tend to be those that get rid of the attacker (such as dismissal and
imprisonment.)

If a DM has designed a defensive spell that he wants to modify so he can assign it to a higher
level, he can do one or more of the following:

• Increase the types of damage against which it protects. (To assign the spell to a lower
level, decrease the types of damage.)

• Increase the number of subjects the spell protects, usually by increasing the area of effect.
(For a lower level, decrease the area of effect, or have the spell provide protection for
only the caster.)

• Increase the number of opponents whose attack abilities are reduced. Again, this is
usually accomplished by increasing the area of effect. (For a lower level, decrease the
area of effect.)

• Increase the power of the spell so it eliminates the attacker altogether.

Does the spell increase or decrease a subject's saving throw modifier? Penalties and
bonuses to the subject's saving throw alter the effectiveness of a spell. Consider again our
hypothetical 3rd-level flying sword spell. Assume that it inflicts 1-10 hit points of damage on
subjects when used at night, and that a saving throw negates the damage. If the subject is
allowed a +2 bonus, it might be more appropriate to assign flying sword to 2nd-level.
Conversely, if no saving throw is allowed at all, the spell might belong at 4th-level.

Is the effect of the spell permanent? Spells whose effects are temporary are less powerful
than those whose effects are permanent. (Remember that few spells are literally permanent,
since dispel magic negates their effects in most cases. A limited wish or wish can negate
almost any spell. )

What are the spell's duration, range, and area of effect? Longer durations, ranges, and
areas of effect translate into more powerful spells. Adjusting these elements is a good way to
modify a spell to assign it to a higher or lower level. For instance, if flying sword persists for
only one round/level and has a range of 30 yards, it belongs in a lower level than if it persisted
for one turn/level and had a range of 100 yards.

There are no minimum or maximum requirements for durations, ranges, or areas of effect, as
long as the DM stays within the bounds of reason. For instance, a range of 1 mile/level sounds
ridiculously high for any 1st-level spell. A good place to start for establishing durations, ranges,
and areas of effect is 1 round/level (duration), 10 yards/level (range), and a 10-foot cube or one
creature/level (area of effect). Remember that these are general guidelines only, and are not
appropriate for every type of spell. Many spells have an effective range of 0, meaning they
affect only the caster. Others affect only a touched subject. Those spells whose effects are
permanent until negated have no set duration. For some spells, such as extension, area of effect
is irrelevant.

When the DM has finished defining the effects of a new spell and has assigned it to a level,
the spell should be compared to the existing spells of that level. If the new spell is clearly weaker
or excessively more powerful than spells from the same level, the DM should either assign it to a
different level or make adjustments as suggested above to make it comparable. In general, the
illusion and divination spells are the least powerful, and the necromancy and invocation spells
are the most powerful; a new spell should be checked against these first.

Let's return to our two new spells for the school of metamorphics. Evaporation causes a

quantity of water or other inorganic liquid to instantly turn to vapor, just as if the sun had
evaporated it. It will not inflict any direct damage (evaporating the blood or other organic liquids
of a creature is forbidden). Evaporation is difficult to perceive as providing meaningful defense
for a party. Evaporation is destined to be a low-level spell, probably 1st-level.

Range? Most 1st-level spells have a range of 30-60 yards; since evaporation is relatively
weak, we will give it a higher range of 60 yards.

Area of effect? Most 1st-level spells affect an area of 10-30 yards (or 10-30 foot-radius, or
10-30 foot cube). In this case, we will give evaporation an area of effect of a 20-foot cube +
10-foot cube/level. (This makes the spell more powerful as the wizard increases in level.)

Checking our 1st-level evaporation spell against the existing 1st-level spells in the PH shows
no major discrepancies. The definition of evaporation still needs more tightening. We need to
determine whether it affects liquids concealed in containers, rain, quicksand, and lava, and other
limitations it has.

Looking at blood to dust, it belongs in a higher level because it causes death. We will decide
that blood to dust causes all of the blood of a single victim to turn to dust, instantly killing it. It is
certainly not as powerful as a 9th-level spell (the 9th-level power word, kill can destroy several
creatures at once); let's place it at 7th level and give it a range of 60 yards (comparable to other
7th-level spells). Checking the existing 7th-level spells, we discover finger of death, a spell not
unlike blood to dust. Finger of death is more powerful, since it can destroy any creature,
even those without blood, but it also allows a saving throw. To balance blood to dust against
other 7th-level spells, let's say that victims of blood to dust are not allowed saving throws.
Further, undead, monsters from other planes, and monsters with more than 4 HD will be
immune to blood to dust. With further adjustments (Can the affected subject be resurrected or
raised? Can the corpse be animated to become a zombie?), we'll have a powerful but balanced
7th-level spell for the school of metamorphics

Casting Times

All spells must state their casting times. A guideline is to make the casting time equal to the
level of the spell (a 7th-level spell has a casting time of 7), but casting times of one or more
rounds are also common. Complex spells might have casting times of one or more turns. Avoid
short casting times for high-level spells and excessively long casting times for all but the most
powerful spells.

We'll give our 1st-level evaporation spell a casting time of 1 and our 7th-level blood to dust
a casting time of 1 round

Components

Every spell has one or more components. There are two ways to determine the components
for a new spell:

1. Locate existing spells from the Player's Handbook that are similar to the new spell and
assign similar components. For instance, finger of death is similar to our new blood to dust
spell, so we'll decide that blood to dust has verbal and somatic components.

2. Assign the components randomly. If this sounds too arbitrary, consider that the

components of a particular spell were likely determined by the wizard who originally researched
it. A common assumption is that two wizards working independently could discover the same
spell; it is unlikely that they used exactly the same components. For our evaporation spell, we'll
use verbal, somatic, and material components, the most common combination.

Instead of choosing a specific set of components for a new spell, you can determine them
randomly by rolling 1d20 on Table 3. If you get a result that contradicts the conditions under
which the spell is cast, roll again

Table 3:
Random Determination of Spell Components

d20 Roll Components
1-14 V, S, M
15-17 V, S
18-19 V, M
20 V

3. Consider the level of the spell and assign components accordingly. Requiring all three
components makes a spell harder to cast. Reducing a spell's components to make it easier to
cast might be a reason to create a higher level version of a low level spell.

4. Still can't decide? When in doubt, require all three components; most existing spells use all
of them.

As for the precise nature of these components, be guided by common sense and imagination.
Material components should relate to the effect of the spell. Check existing spells for component
ideas and comparisons. We'll decide our evaporation spell's material component will be a drop
of water

Allowed Races

Not all races can become specialists of all schools. Usually, these limitations are due to a
particular race's body chemistry, mental or emotional predisposition, magical resistance, or
cultural restrictions. The history of the DM's campaign world might also suggest limitations.

If the DM imposes racial restrictions on a new school, he should present justification for
them. For instance, gnomes are restricted from specializing in our school of metamorphics. The
reason? A thousand years ago in our campaign world, a brotherhood of transfigurist gnomes
accidently developed a metamorphics spell that permanently transformed a city of gnomes into a
field weeds. The gods were so upset by this carelessness that the transfigurist specialty has been
forbidden to gnomes ever since.

Ability Requirements

All characters must have an Intelligence score of at least 9 to become a wizard. A new
school might require a higher Intelligence score for specialization, but only in the rarest
circumstances should it be higher than 13.

All specializations require a minimum score in a secondary ability. This minimum score should
be at least 12, but no higher than 16. Wisdom, Constitution, and Dexterity are the most
common secondary ability requirements, but Charisma and Strength are also possible.
Remember that setting the ability requirements high will keep the number of specialists low, and
vice versa.

Because some of the somatic components for metamorphic spells require precise execution,
we will set a minimum Dexterity score of 15 for specialists in the school of metamorphics

Clothing

Though none of the schools described in Chapter 1 have any specific dress requirements, a
new school might require (or strongly suggest) that its specialists wear distinctive garb to
indicate their status.

Not all specialists of a school would necessarily adhere to this dress code. Perhaps only
graduates of a particular academy would wear distinctive garb. Perhaps only 1st-level
specialists would wear it. Perhaps it is worn only by high level specialists as a symbol of
achievement. All such distinctions are the decision of the DM. Caution is advised-- obvious
identifying garb can be a red flag to enemies who wish to wipe out the members of a particular
school.

Dress requirements are not restricted to items of clothing. Rings, pendants, anklets, and
bracelets are all possibilities. Likewise, certain colors might symbolize graduates of a school,
while other colors might be forbidden.

For our metamorphics school, we will require that 1st-level transfigurists wear a red arm
band to identify them as beginners. When a transfigurist reaches 10th level, he is allowed-- but
not required-- to wear a red cloak to symbolize his competence

Table 4: Magic Schools and Types of Effects

School Type of Effect
Alteration Transformation
Enchantment/Charm Transformation
Abjuration Transformation
Illusion Creation
Invocation/Evocation Creation
Conjuration/Summoning Requisitioning
Divination Paranaturalism
Necromany Paranaturalism

Experience Levels and Spell Progression

All existing schools use the experience level progression and spell progression given on
Tables 20 and 21 on page 30 of the Player's Handbook. New schools should use these, too. It
is possible to devise new tables from scratch, but this creates considerable work for the DM,
adding unnecessary complications and an increased chance of an unbalanced campaign. In any

case, specialists should not be allowed to progress more quickly than the Player's Handbook
tables allow

Hit Points

All existing schools use 4-sided dice to determine their specialists' hit points. The power
wielded by a specialist, especially in the higher levels, more than compensates for his relatively
low number of hit points. If the specialist is too weak, consider creating more spells, adjusting
the current spells to make them stronger, or giving him access to spells from more schools

Languages

All specialists use Table 4 on page 16 of the Player's Handbook to determine the number of
languages they can learn (in addition to their native tongue). Certain types of specialists may be
able to exceed these limits. Eligible specialists might include those with exceptionally strong
academic backgrounds or those who devote a large amount of their spare time studying new
tongues.

The types of effects created by a particular wizard might also suggest an extraordinary
aptitude for languages; for example, wizards specializing in Transformation magic might not
seem to have any particular affinity for languages, but those specializing in Creation might (since
they're involved in producing conditions that didn't previously exist, which could include
communication skills).

If a new specialist is to have exceptional language skills, keep the following guidelines in
mind.

• A new specialist should not be able to acquire more than one language over the limits
given in the Player's Handbook. For instance, a specialist with an Intelligence of 9
should not be able to learn more than three languages.

• The DM should consider limiting extra languages to high-level specialists; level 15 or
higher is suggested, but the DM has the final decision. (In other words, our specialist with
an Intelligence of 9 cannot learn his third language until he reaches level 15.)

• Learning the extra language should never be automatic. The DM should oblige the
specialist to locate a suitable tutor, devote several hours a day to studying difficult texts,
or invent some other requirement that emphasizes role-playing. For the transfigurist,
nothing about his specialty suggests an exceptional aptitude for languages, so he'll be
restricted to the language limits given in the Player's Handbook.

Oppositional Schools

Each school lies in opposition to one to three of the existing schools of magic. The specialist
of the new school will be unable to learn spells from the schools that lie in opposition to his
school.

The first step in determining oppositional schools is to decide which existing school most
closely resembles the new school. In some cases, this is obvious; for instance, our new school
of metamorphics is most like the school of alteration. For less obvious cases, you can eliminate

most of the possibilities by recalling which type of magic your new school is derived from (see
the Types of Magic section above). A new school will most closely resemble an existing school
derived from the same type of magic (see Table 4); for instance, if your new school produces
Creation effects, it most closely resembles either the school of illusion or invocation/evocation.
Once the choices have been narrowed to two or three schools, it should be easy to pick the
school most like your new school. If necessary, try comparing your new spells to the existing
spells in the Player's Handbook .

When you've decided which existing school most closely resembles your new school, consult
the opposition diagram (Diagram 1). The school that lies directly opposite this school is the
oppositional school. The school of metamorphics most closely resembles the school of
alteration. The school directly across from alteration on Diagram 1 is abjuration. Therefore,
abjuration is the school that is in opposition to metamorphics.

One to three oppositional schools may be assigned to a new school. If the new school is
relatively weak (the weak school of greater divination has only a single oppositional school),
only one opposition school may be needed. If your new school is relatively powerful, it is
appropriate to assign it as many as three oppositional schools.

Look again at Diagram 1. The schools on either side of the oppositional school are also
options for oppositional schools. For instance, additional oppositional schools for illusion are
invocation/evocation and abjuration. If it's appropriate for your school to have three
oppositional schools, choose these three.

Most likely, your new school will be neither extremely weak nor extremely powerful. In this
case, consider giving it two oppositional schools. One should be the initial oppositional school,
and the other can be either of the adjacent schools. To decide between the adjacent schools,
choose randomly or choose the one that seems less compatible with your new school.

We must choose the oppositional schools for our new school of metamorphics. Since it is
neither exceptionally weak or powerful, we will assign it two oppositional schools.

We decided previously that the school of metamorphics most closely resembles the school of
alteration. According to Diagram 1, the oppositional school of alteration is abjuration; therefore,
the oppositional school of metamorphics is also abjuration.

According to Diagram 1, the adjacent oppositional schools for abjuration-- and likewise, for
metamorphics-- are conjuration/summoning and necromancy. We need to choose one of them
for our other oppositional school. Either conjuration/summoning or necromancy would be
appropriate, but since the school of alteration already has abjuration and necromancy for its
oppositional schools, we will choose the other combination. Therefore, the opposition schools
for metamorphics are abjuration and conjuration/summoning.

Admittedly, the choice of the second and third oppositional schools is somewhat arbitrary,
but remember that we not only strive for balance, but also for schools with unique advantages
and restrictions. The DM always has the option to invent a rationale for the existence of specific
oppositional schools. For instance, the energies employed by conjuration/summoning and
abjuration magic might induce agonizing headaches in a transfigurist, making it impossible for him
to learn spells from those schools

Ethos

The final step in designing a new school is creating a unique ethos. This step is optional, but it
adds color to the school and makes it more interesting for the players.

An ethos also serves as a springboard for determining the personality of specialist characters.
An ethos can be anything from a simple outline to a detailed profile. Following are some
questions to consider when designing an ethos for a new school.

Do the specialists of the school adhere to any particular philosophy? Do they share
any particular goals? Such philosophies and goals are often derived from the nature of the
magic studied by the specialist. For instance, specialists from the school of metamorphics study
spells dealing with change. Continual exposure to the transience of all things might lead
transfigurists to be skeptical about the existence of absolutes--a transfigurist, then, might believe
that concepts such as "right" and "wrong" are relative to specific situations.

Are evil-aligned characters more drawn to this school than good-aligned characters
(or vice versa)? In most cases, wizards of all alignments can be specialists in any school, but a
new school might discourage certain alignments and encourage others. Likewise, certain magical
academies might accept students of specific alignments only.

If a school does not promote harm to any living creature, or promotes healing, safety,
comfort, or compassion, then it probably excludes evil alignments. If it promotes cruelty or self-
interest, the school probably excludes good alignments. If a school promotes no particular
philosophy, it probably includes specialists of all alignments.

If a school advocates logical thinking and adherence to strict behavioral norms, and
discourages excessive self-expression, it probably leans toward lawful alignments. If it
encourages creative thinking, freedom of expression, and spontaneous actions, it leans toward
chaotic alignments (this is particularly true if it also encourages defiance of written laws to
achieve individual goals). If the school takes no particular position on the specialist's relationship
with his culture and society, it probably includes lawful, neutral, and chaotic specialists. (The
school of metamorphics takes no particular positions on these issues, therefore it is open to
specialists of all alignments. Note that this attitude about alignments is also consistent with the
school's general philosophy of skepticism about absolutes described above.)

Are any particular personality types drawn to the study of this school? Do they tend to
share any common eccentricities? Common likes or dislikes? Would anything about your
new school tend to discourage certain types of people or attract others? The school of
metamorphics attracts students with a natural interest in the world around them. Since its spells
change one thing into another, most students will be interested in how things work and how
things are put together-- in short, metamorphics students are analytical, curious, and creative.

What's the relationship of the specialist to other members of his party? Usually, the type
of spells available to a specialist will suggest his role in the campaign. If the specialist has a lot of
offensive spells, he will likely be on the front lines when the party goes to battle. A specialist
with a lot of defensive or reconnaissance spells might be a good spy or investigator. Although
we haven't yet devised many spells for our transfigurists, it looks like neither offensive nor
defensive spells will predominate. Therefore, it seems likely that a transfigurist will leave the bulk
of the fighting to others in his party.

Do specialists of this school tend to have a lot of friends? Are they likely to have
spouses and families? This depends on the specialist's philosophy, goals, and personality.
Unless the specialist is extreme in one of these areas-- for instance, if he is obsessive about the
study of magic, or if his field is considered repulsive or frightening (such as the school of

necromancy)-- he is likely to have an average number of friends and an average chance at a
successful marriage. (Since transfigurists have no extreme traits, we will assume that they have a
fair number of friends and are as likely as anyone to marry and raise a family.)

Where do these specialists prefer to live? As mentioned previously, certain schools tend to
attract certain types of people. If a school's specialists tend to be outgoing and affable, they
probably prefer to live in an urban area. If they're brooding and anti-social, or if they're
conducting potentially dangerous research, they probably live in an isolated area. Usually, a
specific location won't suggest itself-- specialists tend to live just about anywhere. We will make
this the case with transfigurists.

How do the specialists spend most of their time? Reclusive types will stay close to home,
usually lost in research, reading, or writing. Curious types are more inclined to explore the
world, eager to meet people and experience new situations. In most cases, there will not be
obvious pastimes applicable to all specialists of a school. This will be the case with transfigurists.
They spend some of their time doing research at home and a fair amount of time out in the world
exploring and socializing.

How do the specialists typically earn a living? Common occupations for wizards include
teaching, counseling, researching, and advising. However, the spells available to a particular
specialist might suggest additional careers. The metamorphics spells do not suggest any
particular occupation, so transfigurists probably pursue the common wizard occupations.

Chapter 3: Wizard Kits

In Chapter 1, we discussed at length the schools of magic described in the Player's
Handbook. In Chapter 2, we explained how to design new schools. Specialization in a school is
an excellent way to individualize a wizard character, but it is not the only way.

In this chapter, we'll show you how to further individualize a wizard character by choosing a
wizard kit. A kit is a collection of skills, proficiencies, advantages, and disadvantages used to
help define a wizard's personality and background as well as his role in the campaign

Kits and Character Creation

Wizard kits are entirely optional-- a wizard character can easily get along without one. But a
player who wishes to add detail to his wizard should choose a kit when the character is first
created. Only one wizard kit can be chosen for a character.

It is possible to incorporate these rules into existing campaigns, providing the players and the
DM can agree on which kits are appropriate. A kit must be compatible with a character's past
actions, his background, and his established personality traits. For instance, if a diviner has been
played as a thoughtful man of reason with a history of preferring negotiation to combat, and the
player has made it clear that his character is from a sophisticated urban culture, it doesn't make
sense to assign him the Savage Wizard kit.

Once a particular kit has been assigned to a character, it cannot be changed. However, the
character can later abandon it if he wishes, giving up all benefits and hindrances. Bonus
proficiencies (see below) are not forfeited. Instead, such proficiencies are no longer considered
to be bonuses. The former bonus proficiencies are set aside until the character acquires new
proficiency slots; at that time, the new proficiency slots are filled by the former bonus

proficiencies.
When designing a new character, first determine the character's ability scores, race,

specialization, and alignment.
Once these elements have been decided, choose a kit for the new character. After choosing

the kit and recording the information on the character sheet, continue with the character's
proficiencies, money and equipment, and other pertinent information.

Kits and Schools of Magic

Kits are culturally-based. Generally, any kit can be assigned to a specialist from any school.
An Amazon-- one of several kits described below-- might be a necromancer or an illusionist,
while a Mystic-- another type of kit-- could be a diviner or an abjurer.

However, there are occasional exceptions. Diviners, for instance, require a high Wisdom
score, but the Savage Wizard-- a kit associated with the more primitive parts of the world--
usually lacks the necessary intuition and insight to specialize in the school of greater divination.
Likewise, there are also some schools that favor certain kits.

All excluded schools and preferred schools are noted in each kit description. But these are
only suggestions-- a Savage Wizard diviner is perfectly acceptable if the DM rules that such a
character is allowable in his campaign.

Unless the DM determines otherwise, all kits are available to mages

DM™ Choices

Before allowing players to choose kits for their characters, the DM should look at each kit
and consider several factors.

Is this kit appropriate to the campaign? Not all kits make sense for every campaign. If it
is established that Amazons do not exist in the DM's campaign world, he should not allow
players to choose the Amazon kit. The DM should tell the players which kits he will allow and
which are forbidden before they create their characters.

Do the players need more information about a kit? The DM might want to furnish the
players with additional background information about a particular kit. For instance, he might tell
them that in his world, the Savage Wizards all live on the jungle peninsula of Blackroot and have
had little-- if any-- contact with other civilizations.

Are there any changes in the kit? The DM is free to make changes in the proficiencies,
hindrances, and any other components of the kits to make them compatible with his campaign
world. The players should be informed of any such changes before they choose kits for their
characters.

The Wizard Kits

Each wizard kit consists of a variety of elements.
Description: This section explains the cultural background, appearance, and manner of
characters associated with this kit. It also lists any requirements necessary for characters taking
the kit; for instance, characters taking the Amazon Sorceress kit must be female. Suggestions
are also given for how a character might abandon the kit.

Preferred Schools: This lists which specialists are most appropriate to the kit. As explained
in the Kits and Schools of Magic section above, there are many exceptions, and these should
be considered suggestions only.

Chapter 1 outlined an ethos for each school, suggesting philosophies, attitudes, and
personality traits for each specialist. When designing a character, the player should compare the
personality traits and attitudes of the character's school with those of his kit. If a conflict arises,
the player can choose whichever traits and attitudes he prefers, or whichever seem to make the
most sense for his character. For instance, according to the abjurer's ethos in Chapter 1, an
abjurer tends to be gentle and soft-spoken. However, a player who chooses the Amazon
Sorceress kit may decide that his Amazon Sorceress abjurer is out-going and boisterous, as is
appropriate to the Amazonian culture of his campaign world. With the DM's permission, an out-
going, boisterous Amazon Sorceress abjurer is perfectly acceptable.

In general, a character's cultural background will have more influence on his personality than
his school. Therefore, if a player cannot decide between the personality traits associated with his
school's ethos and the traits associated with his character's kit, he should give more emphasis to
the kit traits.

Barred Schools: This entry explains which schools are inappropriate for the kit. Though the
DM is free to make exceptions, it is usually not a good idea to assign a kit to a specialist from a
barred school.

Role: This section describes the role of a particular wizard in his society and in his campaign.
For instance, an Amazon Sorceress has a different cultural role than a Witch, even if both are
enchanters.

Secondary Skills: If you're using the Secondary Skills rules from the AD&D® 2nd Edition
game rules, then a kit may require a character to take a specific skill instead of choosing or
rolling randomly for it. (When choosing kits for characters, we suggest you use the Weapon and
Nonweapon Proficiency rules instead of the Secondary Skills rules.)

Weapon Proficiencies: If you are using the Weapon Proficiency rules from the AD&D 2nd
Edition game, this entry indicates which Weapon Proficiency is required for characters taking
this kit. In some cases, a specific Weapon Proficiency is required; in other cases, a Weapon
Proficiency can be chosen from among a list of recommended proficiencies.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: If you are using the Nonweapon Proficiency rules, this entry
indicates whether specific Nonweapon Proficiencies are required for characters taking this kit.
However, unlike Weapon Proficiencies, the Nonweapon Proficiencies are bonuses. If a kit
requires that the character must have Astrology, then the character gets that proficiency free,
above and beyond the slots he is normally granted. Even if such proficiencies belong to groups
other than the Wizard or General groups, the character still gets them as bonuses at no charge.

If the kit grants a Nonweapon Proficiency that the wizard already has because of his
specialization, the character receives instead one extra free Nonweapon Proficiency slot. He
may spend this free slot on any specialization of his choice.

Some Nonweapon Proficiencies are recommended, not required. In such cases, the
character is not required to take the proficiency if he does not want it. If he takes a
recommended proficiency, he spends the normal number of his available proficiency slots.

Table 38 on page 55 of the Player's Handbook lists Nonweapon Proficiency crossovers for
various groups. The crossover groups that apply to mages and illusionists also apply to
specialists from all other schools; that is, any specialist selecting a Nonweapon Proficiency from

the Wizard or General groups shown on Table 37 (page 54-55 of the PH) spends the listed
number of proficiency slots. When any specialist selects a proficiency from any other category,
he must spend one additional slot beyond the number listed (exceptions are given in the
Nonweapon Proficiencies entries for the various kits).

Equipment: Some wizard types tend to use specific equipment. Others have limitations or
restrictions on the way they acquire or use equipment. This entry details the equipment
employed by characters using this kit. (In no case is a wizard allowed to purchase armor.)

Special Benefits: Most kits grant special benefits to characters. Often, these benefits are
defined as special reaction bonuses when encountering certain classes of society, or as special
rights in specific cultures.

Special Hindrances: Each kit carries certain disadvantages to hinder the wizard. Often,
these are reaction penalties or cultural restrictions.

Wealth Options: Some wizard types have special rules regarding their wealth. Usually,
these rules specify differences in the amount of money received when the character is created
and limitations on how the money can be spent.

Races: If a kit is not available to particular races, this will be noted here. Unless the DM
makes exceptions for his campaign, humans can choose any of the kits.

A Note About Reaction Adjustments

Several of the wizard kits receive reaction bonuses and penalties as part of their special
benefits and special hindrances. As noted in the Player's Handbook (page 18), characters with
very high or very low Charisma receive "reaction adjustments. " A character with high Charisma
gets a bonus (expressed as a plus, such as +3), while a character with low Charisma gets a
penalty (expressed as a minus, such as -3).

When rolling 2d10 for encounter reactions (see page 103 in the Dungeon Master's Guide),
do not add the bonus or subtract the penalty from the die roll. If the character has a Charisma of
16, thus receiving a +5 reaction adjustment, subtract that number from the die roll-- do not add
it. Otherwise, the more Charisma a character has, the worse the reaction of the NPCs

The Kits

Academician

Description: The Academician is a learned scholar whose love of knowledge is matched
only by his preoccupation with research. He is fascinated by magic in all its forms and enjoys
nothing more than poring over arcane texts and experimenting with exotic magical devices.

The Academician spends so much time involved in intellectual pursuits that he tends to
neglect his physical skills. He is not a particularly good fighter and avoids combat when he can,
preferring negotiation and parley to violence. Still, he recognizes the necessity of combat in
certain instances, and will fight valiantly when required.

Academicians can be found in virtually any culture, but they are most likely to come from
large urban areas that provide ready access to libraries, museums, laboratories, and other
resources.

A character must have a minimum Intelligence of 13 and a minimum Wisdom of 11 to

become an Academician.
There are no special rules for abandoning this kit. An Academician who becomes

disillusioned with the academic life or loses interest in intellectual pursuits can choose to neglect
his studies or research, but he is free to resume them at any time.

Preferred Schools: The Academician is intrigued by all the schools of magic, but is
especially drawn to schools with a wide range of spells, including alteration, illusion, and
invocation/evocation.

Barred Schools: There are no barred schools for the Academician.
Role: In his homeland, the Academician is a respected member of society, valued for his
skills as a teacher and advisor as well as for his seemingly endless store of knowledge on a
variety of subjects. Most likely, he will fill similar roles in a campaign.
In spite of his somewhat sedentary background, the Academician welcomes the chance to
join an adventuring party. For him, it is an unparalleled opportunity to experience new cultures,
acquire new devices, and acquire first-hand information about people, places, and creatures he
may have only read about.
Secondary Skills: Required: Scribe.
Weapon Proficiencies: Required (the player may choose from the following): Dagger,
Dart, Knife, or Sling.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiency: Reading/Writing. Recommended: (General)
Artistic Ability, Etiquette, Heraldry, Languages (Modern); (Wizard) Ancient History, Astrology,
Herbalism, Languages (Ancient), Spellcraft; (Priest) Local History.
Special Benefits: The Academician receives both of the following benefits:
1. Academicians maintain an extensive correspondence with scholars throughout the world.
Additionally, an Academician's reputation as a man of wisdom often precedes him. When
encountering an NPC who is familiar with his reputation, who turns out to be one of his
correspondents, who fancies himself an intellectual, or who is an author, researcher, teacher,
journalist, or fellow scholar, the Academician receives a +3 reaction bonus.
2. The Academician receives a bonus to all Intelligence Checks and Wisdom Checks. The
DM has two options for assigning this bonus. He may simply give the Academician a flat +1 to
his Intelligence and Wisdom Checks, or he can consult Table 5, which takes the Academician's
age and race into account; as the Academician ages, his bonuses increase. Once a method for
assigning these bonuses is chosen, it cannot be changed later.

Special Hindrances: Academicians lack the training and instinct to make good hand-to-
hand fighters. When attacking with any type of melee weapon, the Academician always has a -1
penalty to hit on his first blow. Subsequent blows-- when the Academician has had an
opportunity to size up his opponent and adjust his attacks accordingly-- are made without this
penalty. However, if the Academician attacks a different opponent, his first blow against his new
victim is also made at -1.

Academicians tend to be know-it-alls, and unhesitatingly offer their opinions even on matters
they know little about. Whenever the party needs to make a decision, the Academician should
offer his opinion; for effective role-playing, the player should have his player speak his mind with
unshakable confidence. If other player characters disagree, the Academician might lecture them
on the error of their ways, welcome the opportunity for a spirited argument, or roll his eyes at
his companion's blatant display of ignorance.